THE NORTHWESTERN FLICKER. 



451 



in a large building, whose unused chimneys were covered with sheet-iron. A 

 Flicker had learned the acoustic value of these elevated drums, and the sound 

 of this bird's reveille at 4: 00 a. m. was a regular feature of life at "Council 

 Hall." 



The most characteristic of the bird's vocal efforts is a piercing call delivered 

 from an elevated situation, liapc or k!y-ak. and clicer or kcc-vcr. The scythe- 

 whetting song is used for greeting, coaxing or argumentation, and runs from 

 a low ivee-co, wcc-co — thru zvakc-up, wakc-up, wake-up — to an emjjhatic 

 ivy-kle, zvy-kle, ivy-klc, or, in anotlner mood sounds like flicker, flicker, flicker. 



In the ear- 

 ly days of 

 April court- 

 ship is in 

 progress, and 

 the 1 o V e- 

 making o f 

 the Flicker is 

 both the most 

 curious and 

 the most con- 

 spicuous of 

 anything in 

 that order. 

 An infatuat- 

 ed Flicker is 

 a very soft 

 and foolish- 

 looking bird, 

 but it must 

 be admitted 

 that he thor- 

 oly under- 

 stands the 



feminine heart and succeeds in love beyond the luck of most. A bevy of 

 suitors will lay siege to the affections of a fair lady, say in the top of a 

 sycamore tree. Altho the rivalry is fierce, one gallant at a time will be 

 allowed to display his charms. This he does by advancing toward the female 

 along a horizontal limb, bowing, scraping, pirouetting, and swaying his 

 head from side to side with a rythmical motion. Now and then the 

 swain pretends to lose his balance, being quite blinded, you see, by the 

 luster of milady's eyes, but in reality he does it that he may have an 

 excuse to throw up his wings and display the dazzling flame which lines 



Taken in Rainier National Park. Photo by IV. Leon Dawson. 



A NESTING SITE OF THE NORTHWEST FLICKER. 



THE LARGEST STUB CONTAINED SIX EGGS ON THE POINT OF HATCHING JULY 7, I908, 

 WHEN THIS PICTUfiE WAS TAKEN. 



