TPIK FLICKER. 3;") 



once occupying Kingfisher's and enlarged Bank Swallow's 

 burrows. It often cuts through the weather boarding of ice- 

 houses, and burrowing in the .sawdust lining, lays it eggs, as 

 well as utilizing for the .same purpose enclosed cornices, gables, 

 hollow columns, etc., of dwellings and other buildings; not 

 uncommonl}- in the east and quite frequently in the west. 

 Mr. G. F. Breninger gave an account of the Flicker cutting 

 holes in a O-l-foot church tower at Beattie, Kans., and building 

 on the timbers within, .six pairs bringing forth young. In re- 

 .spon.se to an inquiry he has given me fuller particulars. The 

 holes were cut through the .shingles near the top of the tower 

 and the eggs deposited on the timbers within. The orifice 

 being so .small as not to admit of even a small boy getting at 

 them, it was impossible to ascertain whetjier an}- cavity was 

 dug into the timber or any material used for ne.sts. He has 

 observed the .same trait carried into effect by the California 

 Woodpecker in a church tower at Oreville, Cal. Rev. P. B. 

 Peabody gives some interesting data, .showing how it modifies 

 its habits when resorting to localities where the usual nesting 

 conditions are well nigh impossible. In Southwestern Minne- 

 .sota, where there is very little timber in wdiich it could nest, it 

 has been found resorting quite commonly to the telegraph 

 poles and the railway .semaphores. One semaphore contained 

 five holes, one of which was inhabited by a pair of Flickers, 

 and another, just above it, by a pair of Tree Swallows at the 

 time of observation. The holes in the telegraph poles appear 

 very .shallow', and generally at a height of not less than two 

 or more than ten feet. Up in northern Minnesota the occu- 

 pancy of the telegraph poles is quite common and the occu- 

 pancy of buildings even commoner. For instance, the Church 

 of St. Vincent has Flicker holes in the cornice of both gables. 

 Last year it made a new excavation in the north gable while 

 the Tree Swallows took possession of the .south gable. The 

 ice-hou.ses of the Great Northern railroad are perforated with 

 holes, as many as eight in the .south end, which is very .small. 

 From Ottawa, Kans., conies the particulars of an almost 

 unique nesting site. Mr. Burke H. Sinclair found a nest con- 

 taining eggs in the garret of the town high .school. The birds 

 obtained entrance to this large three-story brick building by 

 means of a displaced brick. As in all infloored lofts it consi.sts 



