422 THE UUW'XY WOODPECKER. 



must liL- stcuix'il Imiii the 1)ii\\l'1s of tlic wmiil, tlitTc is imicli tn !)(.' gleaned 

 from the siirtace and in the crannies i)f the l)ai"k. The winter fare is also 

 suppleinented l(\' cnrnel heniLs and the fruit of certain hardy shrubs. 



It is a fair (|uesti<in wliether the Marris Wnndpecker did Udl get his dingy 

 breast thru lung association with his grimy grub cupboards. The dead trees 

 which he frequents, where not actually blackened by fire, are often stained 

 b\- (leca\'ing fungic growths and clinging spores, so that the snowN' shirt-front 

 of the eastern Hairv Woodpecker would be sinall satisfaction to him here. Or 

 if this grim\- conditidn uf tree-trunk be not the tcrniiiiiis a quo the sniokv front 

 of tlie Wood])ecker started, it is certainly the tcniiinits ml qiiciu its color is 

 accuratel_v tending. And, of course, it is easy to see how these conditions are 

 due exactly to the Iiumidity which pre\ails on the Pacific Coast, and to a 

 lesser degree thruout the Cascades. The dr\' dirt uf llie R(ick\' Mountain 

 pines is by comparison clean ilivt, .and so Dryobafcs I'illiisiis is al)le to take 

 some decent pride in his linen as he proceeds eastward. 



The Harris Woi:)dpecker \'isits the winter tmupes onh' in a patronizing wa\'. 

 He is far too restless and independent tu l)e counted a constant nieml)er <if any 

 little gossip club, and, exce])t brielly during tlie mating season and in the 

 fanfilv circle, lie is rarelv to be seen in the coinpan\' of his own kind. 



The nest of this bird is usuall\- |ilaced well up in a small dead fir tree in 

 some burn or slashing (Hi dry ground. It is about ten inches dee]') and has no 

 lining sa\e fine chips, among which the crystal wliite eggs, four nr li\e in 

 number, lie ]>artiallv imbedded. Incubation is I)egun fmni the last week in 

 April to the last week in May, according to altitude, and liut one brood is 

 raised in a season. These Woodpeckers are exceptii malh' \aliant in defense of 

 their voung, the male in particular becoming almost beside himself witli rage 

 at the ajipearance of an enemy near the home nest. 



No. 165. 



DOWNY WOODPECKER. 



A. O. V. No. 394c. Dryobates piibescens medianiis (Swains.). 



Description. — Similar to P. :•. iiioiiticola, Init much smaller; wing-coverts 

 heavily spotted with white, — a round blotch <in tip of each feather; wing-quills 

 and primary-coverts heavily spotted with white on both webs, the blotches on 

 outer webs iforming bars on the closed wing; tertials barred and tipped with white; 

 the outer tail-feathers barred with black; underparts white or slightly soiled. 

 Length of adult 6.2S-7.00 (158.8-177.8); wing 3.75 (QS-3>'' tail 2.60 (66.1); 

 bill .66 C16.8). 



Recognition Marks. — S]iarrow size; black-and-white color pattern with 



