SAPSUCKERS AND THEIR GUESTS. 147 



and finding' no birds in sight placed Puffy on a 

 stump close to the drills, which were only seven 

 to nine feet from the ground. Instantly a hum- 

 ming-bird appeared, buzzing and squeaking, and 

 the next moment a female sapsucker came into 

 the tree scolding. I removed Puffy and soon 

 after the humming-bird began dipping, giving a 

 squeak each time he dipped. At 6.50, the hum- 

 mer, again discovering Puffy, flew within* ten 

 inches of his eyes, buzzed indignantly and flew 

 away. 



On August 5 from 3 to 4 p.m., no sapsuckers 

 came to Orchard No. 4 and only one hummer. 

 A high wind was blowing. 



On August 7, I visited Orchard No. 1. About 

 twenty new holes had been made since July 28, 

 and great quantities of frothy sap were wasting. 

 The sap was as sweet as though artificially sweet- 

 ened. I saw one young sapsucker and one hum- 

 ming-bird ; neither of them dipped. The wood- 

 pecker caught several insects. 



On August 8, I reached Orchard No. 4 at 6 

 A.M. At 6.03 a hummer came. At 6.06 a 

 young sapsucker came and began dipping. I 

 had with me, instead of one of my barred owls, 

 one of three young screech owls which had been 

 confided to my care for the season. " Scops '^ 

 was placed in a conspicuous position in the heart 

 of the orchard. The sapsucker had scarcely be- 



