119 



what had awakened him. He retires to the burrow every evening at 

 sunset, or sooner. On March 6th, I noted : "A female Bluebird 

 was worr3ing and making a great disturbance about the Downy's 

 hole, which she, apparently, had occupied during the day, but which 

 he had again appropriated to sleep in. All of tlie Snowbirds in the 

 neighborhood had assembled, and were contributing to the fracas all 

 that they were able in the way of din ; meanwhile, Picus looked out of 

 the circular entrance to his house, collected and calm, but flew away 

 at my approach to the woods and did not return till late. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of twenty-nine specimens: 

 length, 6-83; stretch, 11-98; wing, 3-70; tail, 2-53; culmen, -QS; gape, 

 •79 ; tarsus, -65 ; middle toe and its claw, -60. 



122. Sphyrapicus varius {Linne). Yellow-bellied "Wood- 

 pecker. Resident, except during the summer months; abundant 

 during spring and fall migrations, but rarer in winter. 



This handsome Woodpecker is frequently seen in our forests and 

 orchards. Like most of its family, it possesses a variety of notes, 

 one of which resembles the common cry of the Blue Jay. Mr. Peter 

 de Nottbeck informed me that he has frequently found it during au- 

 tumn, eating the corn in the fields; it was while thus feeding that he 

 usually secured his specimens. Early in October, 1880, 1 saw these 

 birds migrating along the«beach, at Great South Bay, Long Island, in 

 large numbers. Sometimes they lit on the low pines, or even on the 

 ground. They were passing westward in straggling flocks which 

 were almost constantly in view. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of nineteen specimens : length, 

 8-56; stretch, 15-37; wing, 4-87; tail, 3-20; culmen, -92; gape, 1-07; 

 tarsus, -78; middle toe and its claw, -85. 



123. Centurus carolinus {Linne). Red-bellied Woodpecker. 

 Occasionally found in summer. I recorded (in the Bulletin of the 

 Nuttall Club, Vol. Ill, No. 3, p. 146, 1878) the capture of a specimen 

 at Cornwall, on the Hudson, in September, 1870. A second specimen 

 was shot at Cold Spring, on the Hudson, by Mr. Francis Butterfass. 



124. Melanerpes erythrocephalus {Linne). Red-headed 

 Woodpecker. Occurs during spring and fall, and more rarely in 

 winter. Not known to breed in the Highlands, but breeds commonly 

 a little to the west of them. Occasionally, the young are quite num- 

 erous in autumn ; but the species is rarely met with at other seasons. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of nine specimens: length, 

 9-75; stretch, 17-90; wing, 5*52; tail, 3-30; culmen, 1-17; gape, 1-37; 

 tarsus, -87; middle toe, -72; its claw, '39. 



125. Colaptes auratus {Linne). Golden-winged Woodpecker. 

 Flicker; High-hole. A permanent resident, but of irregular occur- 

 rence, and generally rare in winter; breeds plentifully. Arrives in 



