0. H. Merriam — Birds of Connecticut. 65 



all, in any numbers, this is truly, though not strictly, a migrant.* 

 Dr. Wm. 0. Ayres writes me: " At New Canaan, Conn., I used to 

 find them each autumn, though never very numerous ; I never saw 

 them in the spring. 



141. CenturilS CarolimiS (Linne) Swainson. Red-bellied Woodpecker. 



A rare accidental visitor from the South. Linsley saw one " as- 

 cending an apple tree, on the 16th of October, 1842."f Dr. Crary 

 says he has killed it near Hartford, Conn. ; and Mr. Erwin I. Shores 

 writes me that he "took a female, July 30th, lSVV at Suffield, Conn. 

 Giraud gave it as breeding regularly on Long Island, though not 

 very common. J 



142. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linne) Swainson. Red-headed 



Woodpecker. 



A rare summer resident ; breeds at Saybrook, sometimes remaining 

 all winter.§ Linsley gave it from Stratford, and Dr. J. D. Whelpley 

 informed him that it was "rare at New Haven"f thirty-five years 

 ago, and, so far as I am aware, its numbers have not increased since. 

 In fact, as Dr. Coues has remarked : " Comparisons of the older with 

 more recent local authorities indicate that the species is now much 

 less numerous than formerly."| Dr. F. W. Hall took one at West 

 Haven in December, 1S72, and has seen several other specimens in 

 this vicinity. W. W. Coe and J. II. Sage have each taken it about 

 Portland, Conn., but find it rarely. Dr. Wood, of East Windsor 

 Hill, tells me that they were really abundant, in that vicinity, thirty- 

 five years ago, being more numerous than the Flicker (Colaptes 

 auratus). Four years later a huge flock was seen, and since then 

 they have been one of our rare birds. A few, however, still breed 

 pretty regularly in the vicinity of East Windsor, Conn. Mr. J. N. 

 Clark informs me that, during the latter part of September, 1872, 

 they suddenly became abundant in a grove of oaks near Saybrook, 

 Conn. The adult birds were mostly killed off by boys from the 

 neighborhood, while the young-of-the-year, lacking the brilliant and 



* For a valuable contribution to the biography of this beautiful Woodpecker, see 

 an article by William Brewster, in Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vol. i, No. 3, pp. 63-70. 

 Sept., 1876. 



f Am. Jour. Sci. and Arts, vol. xliv, No. 2, p. 263. April, 1843. 



\ Birds of Long Island, p. 179. 1844. 



§ Am. Nat, vol. vii, No. 11, p. 693. Nov., 1873. 



|| A List of the Birds of New England. [From Proc. Essex Inst., vol. v, p. 15.] 1 868. 



Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. IV. 9 Julv, 1877. 



