556 NORTH AMEEICAN BIRDS. 



one of the birds of Vermont, nor does Lieutenant Bland mention it as one 

 of the birds of Nova Scotia, and it is not included by Sir John Richaixlson 

 in the Fauna Borcali -Americana. 



Mr. Audubon speaks of it as generally more confined to the interior of 

 forests than the Hairy Woodpecker, especially during the breeding-season. 

 He further states that he never met with its nest in Louisiana or South 

 Carolina, but that it was not rare in Kentucky, and that, from the State of 

 Maryland to Nova Scotia, it breeds in all convenient places, usually more in 

 the woods than out of them. He also states that he has found the nests in 

 orchards in Pennsylvania, generally not far from the junction of a branch 

 with the trunk. He describes the hole as bored in the ordinary manner. 

 The eggs are seldom more than four in number, and measure 1.06 inches in 

 length and .75 of an inch in breadth. They are of an elliptical form, smooth, 

 pure white, and translucent. They are not known to raise more than one 

 brood in a season. 



Wilson speaks of this species as more shy and less domestic than the Red- 

 headed or any of the other spotted Woodpeckers, and also as more solitary. 

 He adds that it prefers the largest high-timbered woods and the tallest de- 

 cayed trees of the forest, seldom appearing near the ground, on the fences, 

 or in orchards or open fields. In regard to their nesting, he says that the 

 pair, in conjunction, dig out a circular cavity for the nest in the lower 

 side of some lofty branch that makes a considerable angle with the horizon. 

 Sometimes they excavate this in the solid wood, but more generally in a 

 hollow limb, some fifteen • inches above where it becomes solid. This is 

 usually done early in April. The female lays five eggs, of a pure white, or 

 almost semi-transparent. The young generally make their appearance 

 towards the latter part of May. Wilson was of the opinion that they pro- 

 duced two broods in a season. 



Mr. Dresser found this bird resident and abundant in Texas. It is also 

 equally abundant in Louisiana and in Florida, and Mr. Eidgway considers 

 it very common in Southern Illinois. Neither Mr. Boardman nor Mr. 

 Verrill have found it in Maine. Mr. Mcllwraith has, however, taken three 

 specimens at Hamilton, Canada West, May 3, near Chatham. Mr. Allen 

 gives it as a summer visitant in Western Massachusetts, having seen one on 

 the 13th of May, 1863. It has also been taken several times in Connecticut, 

 by Professor Emmons, who met with it, during the breeding-season, in 

 the extreme western part of the State. Mr. Lawrence has found it near 

 New York City, and Mr. TurnbuU in Eastern Pennsylvania. 



The eggs vary from an oblong to a somewhat rounded oval shape, are of a 

 bright crystalline whiteness, and their measurements average 1.02 inches in 

 length by .88 of an inch in breadth. 



