My Dear Young Friends:
During the long summer days, when you were enjoying golden vacation
hours, I often took a peep at you from some dead tree limb or the side
of a hemlock or beech. You saw me, perhaps, and were surprised at my
courage; for other small birds whose voices you heard, but whose tiny
bodies escaped your young eyes, appeared very timid in comparison.
But I am not so brave, after all, and know full well when my red hat
is in danger. I am a good flyer, too, and can soon put a wide space
between myself and certain wicked boys, who, I hope, by next vacation
time will have learned so much about us that they will love every
little feathered creature, and not seek to do them any harm.
Can you guess why I have such a queer name? I really ought to be
popular in Illinois, for they tell me it is called the Sucker State,
and that the people are proud of it. Well, I am called Sapsucker
because much, if not most, of my food consists of the secret juices
which flow through the entire body of the tree which you probably saw
me running up and down and around. But you saw me, you say, very
often on dead branches of trees, and surely they had no sap in them?
No, but if you will look closely into my actions, you will see that I
destroy many insects which drill their way into the wood and deposit
their eggs. In my opinion, I do far more good than harm, though you
will find some people who think otherwise.
Then, again, if there is utility in beauty, surely I am a benefit to
every one. One day I heard a lady say that she never saw my head pop
up from behind an old stump without bursting into laughter, I looked
so funny. Now I took that as a compliment; for to give pleasure to
those around us, I have heard, is one of our highest duties.
Next summer when you seek the pleasant places where I dwell,--in the
old deadening where the trees wear girdles around them; in the open
groves, where I flit from tree to tree; in the deep wooded districts,
whence one hears the tinkling ripple of running waters, you may, if
good and gentle, see pop up behind a stump the red hat of