ORNITHOLOGY OF GUADALUPE ISLAND. 287 



The food of this species during a portion of the year con- 

 sists largely of smooth-skinned caterpillars, besides numer- 

 ous beetles and ants; the latter are always obtainable and 

 growing to a large size figure as an important item of their 

 diet. The scarcity of decayed trees with the exception of fall- 

 en ones, necessitates either work upon seasoned wood or the 

 resort to dead palm stumps. The nests ivill therefore be 

 found at heights varying from three to fifteen feet. 



By March 16, the birds were invariably found in pairs, 

 and my wish to secure a setting of eggs before departing 

 seemed in a fair way of being fulfilled. Strolling among 

 the cypress on the 27th of March, I found four trees upon 

 which the birds were at work or had been recently, and in 

 such cases the birds themselves were always to be found in 

 the immediate vicinity. Passing a half-dead tree I heard 

 the sounding taps of a woodpecker at work, and as I neared 

 the spot, the slight noise which I made as I carefully picked 

 my way over the rock-strewn ground caused a handsome 

 male bird to suddenly appear at an opening about four feet 

 high. With a foot grasping either side of the entrance he 

 gazed upon the intruder. Having comprehended the situa- 

 tion, he flew to another tree, where he quietly awaited ni}^ 

 inspection and departure. The hole was then down about 

 fifteen inches. By April 7, it had reached a depth of about 

 twenty inches and contained six fresh eggs, upon which the 

 female was then sitting. As no description has hitherto 

 appeared of the eggs of this species it may be well to pre- 

 sent here the measurements of this set. (No. 803, author's 

 oological collection.) They correspond exactly, both in 

 color and general shape, with scores of other eggs of this 

 genus, and offer the following measurements in millimeters : 

 28x22; 28x22; 28x22.5; 29x22; 29.5x22; 29.5x22. 



A comparison of the measurements of the specimens 

 taken on Guadalupe Island with those of the same genus 

 which I have in my possession may be of interest. 



Although on the one hand the collection from the island 



