132 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



Order PICI. Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, Etc. 

 Family PICID.33. Woodpeckers. 



Genus DRYOBATES Boie. 



[B fopart, R 360, C 438, part, U 393-] 



Dryobates villosus (Linn.). Hairy Woodpecker. Resident; rather 



common. The eggs are laid about the last of April. In the winter 



this bird has been observed feeding upon fresh beef, which it picked 



from bones brought into the yard by dogs. 



[B 76, R 361, C 440, U 394-] 

 Dryobates pubescens (Linn.). Downy Woodpecker. Resident; 

 common. "This is the little spotted woodpecker that bores the apple 

 trees so persistently, but it does not appear to hurt them. In declaring 

 war against woodpeckers, the agriculturist will do well to discriminate 

 between the somewhat injurious and the highly beneficial species." 

 (Cones). 



Genus SPHYRAPICUS Baird. 



[B 85, R 369, C 446, U 402.] 

 Sphyrapicus varius (Linn.). Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Summer 

 resident; rather common, arriving the second week in April. This 

 species excavates its nest in the limb of some tree in the heavy timber 

 along the water-courses. Xidification commences usually about the 

 last of May. A number of nests have been examined near Des 

 Moines; one of these was not more than ten feet from the ground, 

 while another was over seventy-five feet. The latter was built in the 

 living wood of an elm, and was carefully watched from the time the 

 nest was begun until it was finished. 



Genus CEOPHLCEUS Cabanis. 



[B 90, R 371, C 432, U 405.] 



Ceophlceus pileatus (Linn.). Pileated Woodpecker. Resident; not 



uncommon in the heavy timber along the watercourses; rare in other 



localities. It is becoming more and more rare each year, and will soon 



disappear with the heavy forest tracts. 



Genus MELANERPES Swainson. 



Subgenus MELANERPES. 



[B 94, R 375, C 453, U 406.] 



Mela?ierpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). Red-headed Woodpecker. 



Summer resident; quite common. Arrives about the first of May and 



remains until the middle of September. Breeds the first week in June. 



Occasionally winters. One was seen one cold day in January, at Des 



Moines. At Iowa City a pair was noticed on the University campus 



nearly ever) day during the winters of 1885-86, and 1886-87. 



