PICID^ — THE WOODPECKERS. 511 



Professor Baird in 1858 as in the collections of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, six are from Pennsylvania, two from Massachusetts, two from Missouri, 

 one from Bonhomme Island in Nebraska, and the rest from Fort Leaven- 

 worth, Salt Creek, Fort Riley, and Platte River in Kansas. It is quite 

 common throughout the coast region of Alaska, exclusive of the Aleutians, 

 and throughout the entire valley of the Yukon. Wilson makes no mention 

 of its geographical distribution, probably because he found it everywhere 

 common, to the extent of his own investigations. Audubon speaks of it as 

 very generally distributed from the lower parts of Louisiana to Labrador, 

 and as far westward as he travelled. 



Sir John Richardson states that this species is a constant inhabitant of the 

 fur countries up to the 58th parallel. It seeks its food principally on the 

 maple, elm, and ash, and, north of latitude 54°, where these trees are not 

 found, on the aspen and birch. 



According to Wilson, these birds select a suitable place for the excavation 

 of their nest, about the middle of May. An apple, pear, or cherry tree, often 

 in the near neighborhood of a farm-house, is generally fixed upon for this 

 purpose. The work of excavation is begun by the male, who cuts a hole in the 

 solid wood as circular as if described with a pair of compasses. He is occa- 

 sion-ally relieved bj^ the female, both parties working with the most inde- 

 fatigable diligence. The direction of the hole, when made in the body of 

 the tree, is downward by an angle of forty degrees for the distance of six or 

 eight inches, and then directly downward for ten or twelve more. Within, 

 the excavation is roomy, capacious, and as smooth as if polished by the hand 

 of the most finished workman. The entrance is, however, left only just 

 large enough to admit the bodies of the birds. During their labor they even 

 take the pains to carry their chips to a distance, to prevent suspicion. 

 This operation sometimes occupies the chief part of a week. The eggs are 

 generally six in number, pure white, and laid on the smooth bottom of the 

 cavity. The male supplies the female with food while she is sitting. The 

 young generally leave the nest about the last of June. 



The same writer also gives an interesting account of the impudent coolness 

 of the House Wren, who, coveting the well-built home of this Woodpecker, and 

 unable to excavate such an apartment for itself, waits until the poor Wood- 

 peckers have completed their work, and then attacks them with violence and 

 drives them off from the nest they have been at so much pains to prepare. He 

 states that he saw a striking example of this, where the Woodpeckers, after 

 commencing in a cherry-tree, within a few yards of the house, and having 

 made considerable progress, were turned out by the Wren. They began again 

 on a pear-tree in the garden, a few yards off, when, after digging out a most 

 complete apartment, and laying one egg, they were once more assaulted by 

 the same impertinent intruder, and finally forced to abandon the place. 



Mr. Audubon gives substantially the same account of their nesting, only 

 he assigns an earlier period, the middle of April, for its commencement, and 



