150 



THE OOLOGIST. 



previous to the cutting off of the limh 

 a woodpecker had cut two connecting 

 holes in the thickest part of the branch. 

 Entering from the upper of these two 

 holes, the Wren had built a platform 

 within and thereon deposited her 

 seven eggs, all fresh and carefully re- 

 moved to the growing collection of my 

 friend. Around on the other side of 

 the tree there was an unfinished Wood- 

 pecker's nest which we investigated, 

 succeeding which he proceeded to chop 

 out the lesser bird and in resting be- 

 tween strokes of the hatchet the came- 

 ra caught him. The usual bunch of 

 small sticks is shown protruding from 

 the hole in the tree and without these 



there is very little use in chopping in- 

 to the nest of one of these birds, for, 

 even though the nest be new and the 

 birds ever so anxious there is every 

 probability that it will contain no 

 eggs. They seem to complete this 

 lattice work of twigs after the full 

 number of the set has been laid rather 

 than when the horsehair lining is put 

 in, and it is a sure protection against 

 mice and snakes and possibly against 

 the English Sparrow, if that pest ever 

 gets so far west as this. There are 

 literally thousands of such trees as 

 the one here shown scattered over 

 southern California and it is no exag- 

 geration to say that in nearly every 



