516 OUNITHOLOGY. 



of the Woodpecker family; this was our own impression, coiTected only by 

 the obtaining of specimens. Prince Maximilian described a white-tailed 

 Woodpecker {'^Ficus leucurtts") seen by him in the Rocky Mountains, 

 which was undoubtedly this bird; and Mr. J. A. Allen, an accurate observer, 

 was more recently led into the same error.' 



In the pine woods near Carson City these birds were veiy abundant, 

 and, with the Jays {Cyamira frontalis), made the forest resound with their 

 harsh, discordant cries. Their notes were often to be heard Avhen the bird 

 could not be seen, and were generally the first indication of its presence. 

 The usual utterence, a guttural chur-r- r-r-r-r-r-r-r, repeated several times, 

 and generally as two or more alighted in the same tree, possessed a peculiar 

 snarling character; occasionally, however, an individual would take up a 

 rather musical piping strain, wliich being immediately answered by all the 

 others in the neighborhood, made the woods echo with their cries. As 

 before stated, all the actions of this bird call to mind the traits of the Wood- 

 jiecker tribe; it is a conspicuous object as it floats in gentle undulations 

 above the tops of the tall pine trees, when it resembles in its motions the 

 Ring-necked Woodpecker {Mclanerpcs torqnatus); it is also often seen to 

 swoop to the ground to pick up a fallen pine-seed, return to the tree and 

 hammer it vigorously against a branch; and should two or more alight in 

 close proximity a general snarling chur-r-r-r ensues, reminding one of the 

 quan-elsome Red-headed Woodpecker [Mdanerpes cnjthrocephalus). 



We were unable to find the eggs of this bird, but a nest was discov- 

 ered on the Ruby Mountains, in August, 1868, after the j^oung had flown. 

 This nest was in a hole — apparently the deserted excavation of the Red- 

 shafted Flicker — in a tall pine stump, about twenty feet from the ground; 

 the nest itself was a very elaborate and symmetrical one, composed of pine 

 needles and fine roots, with larger sticks outside, resembling in its general 

 character that made liy other species of the family. Attention was first 

 attracted to this nest by observing a pair of these birds enter the cavity in 

 question. It is not known whether it is the constant habit of this species 

 to thus build inside of holes in trees, but on the Sierra Nevada they were 



• See American Katvralvtt, Vol. VI, p. 350, and Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoology, Vol. 

 Ill, No. 6, June, 1872, p. 150. 



