260 BULLETIN 17 4, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



I observed a Flicker using a hole in a palmetto pile under the dock 

 on the shore of the Halifax River, only 2 feet above the salt water 

 at high tide. Nicholson found a nest 12 inches above the ground in 

 a sawed-off stump of a palmetto on a ditch bank." 



Alexander Sprunt, Jr. (1931), mentions a concentration of hole- 

 nesting birds in a tree in a yard in Beaufort, S. C; the tree meas- 

 ured only 20 feet in height and contained nests of two pairs of 

 flickers, and one nest each of crested flycatcher, screech owl, and 

 downy woodpecker. "All five cavities were contained in a radius of 

 ten feet, and four were within six feet of each other." 



A. F. Ganier (1926) writes: 



While in the suburbs of Chattanooga, Tennessee, last spring, I noticed a 

 Flicker engaged in what appeared to be a hopeless task in the way of nest 

 excavation. An iron water tank, supported by steel columns forty feet high, 

 was fed by a large iron pipe through its bottom, and, to keep this pipe from 

 freezing in winter, it had been encased with a plank shaft two feet square 

 that was filled with cedar sawdust. Our friend Colaptes auratus had evidently 

 sounded the boards, and, sensing easy digging, had drilled a hole in the mid- 

 dle of one side about thirty feet up. When espied, he was enthusiastically 

 pitching out quantities of sawdust, which I presume caved in about as fast 

 as he dug, but during the half hour I was engaged near by there was no let 

 up in the work. About a month later I was again in the vicinity and made 

 it a point to go by the tank. On the ground below the hole was at least a 

 bushel of sawdust, and in a few minutes I had the pleasure of seeing a 

 Flicker enter the hole with food in its mouth, presumably to feed the young 

 that had come to reward his perseverance. 



Eggs. — The southern flicker lays five to ten eggs, ordinarily, but 

 shares with its northern relative its reputation as a prolific egg 

 layer; it will continue to lay again and again after being robbed, as 

 many as 30 or 40 eggs and often three or four sets. The eggs are 

 similar to those of the northern flicker, except for a slight difference 

 in size. The measurements of 44 eggs from South Carolina average 

 28.57 by 22.01 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes 

 measure 30.15 by 24.56 and 24.13 by 20.32 millimeters. These seem 

 to run larger than eggs from farther north. 



In all other respects, the habits of the southern flicker are similar 

 to those of the species elsewhere, w^ith due allowance for the differ- 

 ence in environment. Two items of interest, however, are worth 

 quoting. Charles R. Stockard (1904) writes from Mississippi: 



On April IS a burrow of a Flicker containing only one fresh egg was found. 

 The egg was not disturbed. When visiting the nest again on April 28 a flying 

 squirrel was found in possession. On my arrival the bird was at the entrance 

 of the burrow peering in at the intruder. It was supposed that the squirrel 

 was eating the eggs, but on examining the nest it was found to contain one 

 spoilt egg. The squirrel had then probably been in possessioii for the ten days 

 since the nest was observed, so the bird had been unable to enter and lay. 

 * * * Tlie Flicker must then have remained about her nest for this lengtli 

 of time, and as soon as the squirrel was removed she iigain took charge. On 



