48 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vol. XXVI, 1919 



In 1914 during the warm balmy days of early February, the downies 

 commenced the flight evolutions so noticeable in mating season. Cold 

 weather followed this warm spell and this behavior was not again 

 noted until early April. The writer failed to note the nests found. 

 Consequently the only breeding record found in his notebooks is a 

 nest of four fully fledged young found in the Marshalltown ceme- 

 tery June 2, 1915. The nestlings left the nest at about noon of 

 June 3. 



82. Sphyrapicus variiis varius. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. A 

 common spring migrant between April 6 and May 22 and a tolerably 

 common fall migrant from September 7 to October 15. These birds 

 come back to the same trees year after year and make their peculiar 

 square punctures for the sake of the sap. In the cemetery the 

 various conifers seemed to be favorites and along the streets maple 

 (Acer) was more often attacked than others. 



83. Mclancrpcs erythrocephaliis. Red-headed 'Woodpecker. An 

 abundant summer resident and breeder from April 29 to October 4 

 and a rare and irregular winter resident. During the winter of 

 1913-1914 a little band of at least eight birds wintered in the ceme- 

 tery at Marshalltown. (Wilson Bui., Vol XXVI, p. 104.) One or 

 more of these were seen on every visit to this locality during the 

 'winter months. Eight, seen on March 17, 1914, was the greatest 

 number found on one day until the migrants arrived May 1. In 

 1915, a single bird appeared in the same place on April 1 and re- 

 mained there alone until April 29 when a large number of migrants 

 arrived. This bird had probably wintered somewhere in the 

 vicinity. 



On May 31, 1913, the writer watched a pair at work on a nesting 

 hole, and on June 7 found five eggs in this nest. They nested 

 commonly along the streets of Marshalltown as well as in the wood- 

 land along the river. Several nests were seen in telephone poles. 

 On June 24, 1914, two nests were found containing young, and the 

 parents were observed to catch and carry crickets to them. On June 

 10, a nest was discovered in a stump about' six feet high. This nest 

 was located near the entrance to the Iowa Soldiers' home where 

 hundreds of people daily passed within ten feet of it. The birds 

 did not seem to mind them as they passed in and out to feed the 

 young without hesitation. 



These woodpeckers have very versatile feeding habits. It is no 

 uncommon sight to see them in company with the grackles catching 

 grasshoppers and other ground living insects. They also are expert 

 at flycatching and often feed in this manner. I frequently saw 



