THAYER] HOURS WITH THE FLICKERS 229 



July 2 was stormy and I did not watch. 



July 3, 10 A. M.-12.07 p. M. — I moved this morning to within 

 sixty feet, still in front of the nest. When I sat down, the female 

 was in the nest tree, while the male was nearby, and they gave 

 utterance to soft cries as if "talking" to each other, while the 

 young kept up a chattering sound reminding one of a bee-hive. 

 After thirty-five minutes, the female went in, but remained only 

 a moment. The male remained flat against a large limb with 

 another between us until 10.40 when he flew away. He returned 

 at 10.57 to the next tree where he took the same position as be- 

 fore. At 11.08, he flew away. After being gone forty-one 

 minutes, the female came to the nest at 11. 16 with a low cry 

 which was answered by the male across the pasture. She came 

 out in two minutes. The male came to the nest at 11.37 after 

 giving the "wick" cry for nearly nineteen minutes. In a mo- 

 ment he flew away, as I moved to put on a raincoat because of a 

 sudden shower. He returned at 11.55 ^"^^ remained in the nest 

 five minutes, but looked out at me twelve times. The young 

 called lustily. At 12.06, after being gone forty-eight minutes, 

 the female went to the nest, but remained only a moment. The 

 weather was warm, and there was no brooding after this date. 



July 4, 3-35-5.27 p. m. — At 3.58 the female came to the nest; 

 flew at 3.58^/2. Returned at 4.21, flew away at 4.22. The male 

 came to the next tree at 4.34 and he watched me for thirty-one 

 minutes. He flew to the pasture at 5.05, where he called loudly. 

 In fifteen minutes the female came to the tree, and in six minutes 

 (5.26) to the nest, remaining but a moment. Now that brooding 

 had ceased, the birds never remained in the nest more than one 

 or two minutes. The female procured most of the food, while 

 the male remained near me on guard. 



July 5, 2.55-5.42 p. M. — The female came to the nest at 3.13 

 for a moment. The male remained motionless in a nearby tree 

 from 3.22 to 3.47, then flew away. The female flew to the next 

 tree with a soft, low, musical but rather plaintive cry at 4.01, and 

 sat lengthwise on the branch, perfectly flat, as the male so often 

 did. .This was the only time I saw the female in this position, 

 and I never head her give the "wick" cry but once. At 4.09, the 

 female fed her young. At 4.29, the male went to the nest, looked 

 out at me, went in once, then flew away. He came again to the 

 next tree at 4.57, but Avas disturbed by people coming into the 



