ENEMIES. 



Its natural enemies are few and rather unimportant in the 

 extent of their depredations, as far as the adults are con- 

 cerned, confined almost exclusively to the Hawks and Owls. 

 Mr. J. H. Bowles observes that the swift little Accipiter velox 

 considers it a great delicac5^ I witnessed one instance of its 

 unsuccess, however, while watching a number of Flickers feed- 

 ing in a meadow. Suddenl)^ a commotion occurred half way 

 up the hillside, exciting the whole community; a j^oung male 

 Sharp-.shin had darted to where a pair were feeding. Tumbling 

 over in their haste and terror, they dodged and ran with half- 

 spread wings, uttering despairing shrieks, finally taking flight, 

 hotly pursued by the now confident Sharp-shin until directly 

 overhead, when I gave him the contents of my little CS-caliber 

 collecting gun ; he instantly wheeled to the right and made for 

 the woods, but dropped dead before going fifty yards. Mr. J. 

 N. Baskettonce found a Sparrow Hawk {Falco sparverius^ and 

 a Flicker on the ground clutched in a life and death struggle, 

 while dozens of the latter species sat on near-by trees, simply 

 sneezing an alarm or threnody. I am inclined to think they 

 are much less successful when attacking it about the tree 

 trunks on account of its skill in dodging. 



Mr. Bowles offers circumstantial evidence in the form of 

 numerous feathers discovered in nesting cavities, of nocturnal 

 visits of the Sreech Owl {Alegascops asio) which he places 

 among its most dreaded foes. An unique instance of these two 

 birds dwelling together in peace and harmony is furnished by 

 Mr. John Meisky, Columbia, Pa. One day in May — about 

 the 16th — he found a nest of the Flicker in a limb of a chest- 

 nut tree, and in the same hole was a Screech Owl. Visiting 

 the place twice subsequently he found both birds present, 

 seemingl}^ contented. Although occupying the same cavity 

 the Owl was not on the eg^s. 



The eggs and callow young are sometimes destroyed by 



