Il8 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



Downy Woodpeckers, some of which were so much larger than the usual breed- 

 ing bird that they may have been of a northern race. 



179 [400] Picoides arcticus (Swains.). 

 Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. 

 Irregular but on rare occasions a common winter visitor. 



Dr. G. M. Allen^ found in Damsell's notebooks the measurements of a bird 

 taken November 24, 1883. "Another specimen is entered October 28, 1887, both 

 no doubt from Amesbury." 



180 [401] Picoides americanus americanus Brehm. 

 Three-toed Woodpecker. 

 Irregular and very rare winter visitor. 

 There are no additions to the three previous records. 



181 [402] Sphyrapicus varius varius (Linn.). 

 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 



Uncommon and irregular transient visitor (summer). April 19 to May 21; 

 June 12, July, August 9; September 23 to October 19 (November 4). 



The November 4 record is for 1890 by Damsell' at Amesbury. 



Nearly every fall I find fresh rings or bands of holes on one at least of my 

 apple trees at Ipswich, and on one occasion I saw a Sapsucker flying away from 

 the tree. Whether these holes are made for practice or to obtain the inner bark 

 I do not know. They are dry and free from sap. It has been stated that these 

 rings or holes are made by Downy Woodpeckers. That this species makes single 

 holes I do not doubt, but it hardly seems possible to me that it would make rings 

 of holes so characteristic of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 



' Allen, G. M. Auk, vol. 30, p. 26, 1913. 



