TIIK FI.ICKKR. 



15 



mainly hardy old males. In this locality it has decreased as a 

 Winter re.sident during the last fifty years from common to 

 ca.sual. 



Breeding Range. Nesting from Newfoundland to the 

 Dakotas and from the Florida peninsula to Ala.ska, its range is 

 more extensive than that of any other American Woodpecker. 

 It is said to be nearl}^ co-exten.sive with its geographical 

 range, being found generally below altitudes of 4000 feet. It 

 is in greater abundance and more generally distributed between 

 the o(i° and 4()° parallels than anj-where else, and in actual 

 numbers probably falls but little short of equalling all other 

 members of the family combined in the same area. It has 

 been found breeding at Fort Churchill, the most northerly 

 outpost of civilized man's residence on the west coa.st of 

 Hudson Bay. Unfortunately but little data is available from 

 the great northwest, which is doubtless in part owing to its 

 greater abundance in the States. "At St. Vincent, Minn., it is 

 at no time abundant, nor is there an appreciable increase 

 during the autumnal migrations. "---Rev. P. B. Peabody. 

 G. G. Cantwell found it breeding in numbers along the 

 Sixty Mile river, N. W. S., on July S, '97.— 0.s- 

 prey. Vol. II, p. 25. The table given below is compiled 

 from a large amount of published and unpublished data, show- 

 ing the average period of Summer residence in various sections 

 of the countr}'. It is believed to be approximately correct. 

 The average date of the arrival of the bulk in Maine, while 

 much later than that given for Wisconsin and Minnesota, is 

 taken from thirty-four records ; probably a larger number of 

 dates would make it earlier, and consequently show a longer 

 period of summer residence in that section : 



