Sherman — Sign of Xortherx Flicker. 13^- 



bird comfort, it being in the shade of tall maples and a walnut 

 tree. Both holes had been used by the birds during the court- 

 ing season, and in both boxes the excelsior had been torn up 

 and carried out. therefore the finding of an egg in the south 

 box on the morning of May 15 was a pleasurable , occasion. 



From what has been related it easily may be seen that the 

 male bird chose the nesting place, and persuaded his mate to 

 lay her eggs there, even when she was inclined to nest else- 

 where, and when she had a box quite as good as his. 



The preliminaries to nesting this season differed little from 

 those of last. Again the male suffered a dual courtship, but it 

 lasted one day only. Three days thereafter his mate cleaned 

 house although the sawdust was fresh and needed not to be 

 cast out. Again there was a seeming indecision as to choice 

 of box for ne«:ting, and again on May 15 the first egg was laid 

 in the south box. This made the third year when laying had 

 commenced on that date. On other seasons the date had been 

 a little earlier, and once a month later. 



Before the egg< were laid in 19<»8 the male roosted part of 

 the time in the south hole, and the female part of the time in the 

 west hole. While the eggs were being laid, and before incuba- 

 tion began the male roosted in the box with the eggs. After 

 that, incubation or the brooding of the young at night was per- 

 formed mainly by the male, but on several nights the female 

 took these tasks, and he went to lodge in the west box. where 

 •?he generally, but not always, spent her nights. This noctur- 

 nal interchange of duties appears to be somewhat unusual. In 

 1909 the order of things was changed a trifle. The male bird 

 began roosting in the south box on the evening of April IT. 

 and spent every night there until that of June 23. sixty-seven 

 nights in all. With the exception of five nights the female was 

 a regular occupant of the west box from April "24 to Time 3. 

 after which she spent a few nights in the east hole. This de- 

 sertion of her lodging place may have been caused by imwel- 

 come visits made there by Screech Owls. For it %\as in thi- 

 west box on April 5 that a Screech Owl was found sitting on 



