350 Proceedings of Indkiua Academy of Science. 



peckers busily engaged in storing away nuts of various kinds, particularly 

 beechnuts and the smaller acorns, such as the Chinquepin Oak (Qiicrcun 

 michauxi). On quiet autumn days the woodpeckers would work inces- 

 santly gathering and storing nuts, placing them in natural cavities in cer- 

 tain trees or driving them into holes which they themselves had made. The 

 constant flying back and forth, interrupted only by occasional chasing of one 

 another, and the accompaniment of their loud, not unmusical, chatter, was 

 a scene quite familiar to every farmer's boy and one which never failed to 

 interest him. 



The Ked-headed Woodpecker is still common in each of the three coun 

 ties, and in each of them a few usually remain throughout the year. The 

 majority, however, go further south in the fall. In Carroll County, they 

 remain through only those winters following seasons of abundant mast and 

 such as are not especially severe. Noted by Miss Ava Evermann at Burling- 

 ton as follows : January 5, 1907, several in woods ; October 27, three or four 

 seen in woods ; October 28, a young one seen on a hickory tree in woods, 

 its back mottled and its head only slightly red. A great many adults seen 

 on this date, in the woods. January 1, 19<)8. two or three seen in the woods, 

 and on January 25, one seen in same woods. 



Their nesting season is in May. A nest with three fresh eggs, May 15, 

 1888, in an oak snag at the forks of the road near Mr. Smith's near Honey 

 Creek south of Torre Haute. One taken east of the fairgrounds at Terre 

 Haute, April 25, 1888. Another with five fresh eggs. May 10, 1883. in a hole 

 in a hickory snag on my father's farm near Burlington. 



During the winter of 1881-82, they were very numerous hi Carroll County, 

 l)ut since then, as well as before, they have been very rare in winter. De- 

 cember 13, 1884, one seen. A few evidently remained all that winter, though 

 not many were noted. One observed March 18, 18S5. Several noted near 

 Bloomington, January 12, 1883. 



102. Centurus caroi.inus (Linna'us). red-bellied woodpecker. (409) 



A moderately common resident in all the counties, perhaps most numer- 

 ous in Monroe. This species, locally sometimes known as "Sapsucker" and 

 "(iuinea Woodpecker", was, like the Red-head, quite destructive to the ripen- 

 ing corn and to the early apples and cherries, and, like the Red-head, it 

 could be killed by striking with an axe or maul, the pole on which it had 

 alighted. 



Carroll County: February 15, 1879, noted near Camden. 



Monroe Counti/: January 12, 1883, three or four noted. 



Viffo County: Noted at Terre Haute March 24, 1888. and April 1, 1889. 



103. COLAPTES AURATUS AIIRATITS (Liuna^lS). FLICKER. (412) 



An abundant and well-known bird, resident throughout the year, locally 

 known as "Yellowhammer". This is one of the most useful of birds. It 

 lives chiefly on grubs and other insect larva\ and upon noxious insects. 

 The little harm it does to the corn in roasting-ear time is trivial in com- 

 parison with the great good it does in de.-^troying insect enemies of cultivated 

 crops. 



