88 Contributions from the Charleston Museum. 



in the Savannah River swamp, near Beldoc, Barnwell County, as 

 late as 1898, but although he made a special trip for me, he was 

 unable to secure a specimen. 



There can be little doubt that this woodpecker still exists in 

 portions of the great swamps that border the Pee Dee, Santee, and 

 Savannah Rivers, as well as in some of the inland swamps. 



In Florida, I encountered more than two hundred of these rare 

 birds during the years 1892, 1893, and 1894. A set of three eggs 

 was taken in that state on April 19, 1893, from a hole, excavated 

 by the birds, in a large bay tree, 30 feet from the ground. The 

 eggs of this species are glossy white, and measure 1 .43 X 1 .07 

 (Hoyt). 



160. Dryobates villosus audubonii (Swains.) . Southern 

 Hairy Woodpecker. 



This small race of villosus is a permanent resident, common 

 during the autumn and winter, but very locally distributed in 

 the breeding season. In fact, not more than two or three pairs 

 can be observed in a forest of more than two hundred acres. The 

 birds mate early in February and I have seen young in the nest as 

 early as March 24. 



The nest is very hard to find; indeed I have found but six nests, 

 two which contained eggs, and four which contained young. I 

 have known this species to excavate a hole and raise a brood in a 

 limb of a living live oak tree, but it generally excavates its hole in 

 a dead tree and at a great height. A set of three fresh eggs was 

 taken April 7, 1898, from a hole 40 feet from the ground in a dead 

 pine. This hole was 14 inches deep. The young remain in the 

 hole for more than a month after they are hatched, and when 

 fledged the crown is marked with either red or yellow. 



A set of three eggs measure respectively: .83X.75, .85X.74, and 

 .84X.75. The eggs of this form are glossy white. 



161. Dryobates pubescens (Linn.). Southern Downy Wood- 

 pecker. 



Although the Downy Woodpecker is very abundant in autumn 

 and winter, few are to be seen during the breeding season as the 

 birds are widely scattered over a large territory and are conse- 

 quently hard to detect in any numbers. It breeds very irregularly, 

 for I have found birds incubating as early as April 7, while others 



