120 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Mr. W. G. Smith took several sets of eggs near Lovelaiid, Colorado, during 

 the first ten days in June, and I have found it breeding near Fort Lapwai, 

 Idaho, at Walla Walla, Washington; and at Fort Klamath and Camp Harney, 

 Oregon. At the latter place these birds nested mostly in junipers, and their 

 eggs were comparatively easily obtained. I have taken fresh eggs, a set of 

 eight, here on May 17, and another of seven as late as June 29, showing the 

 nesting season to be somewhat variable. The junipers which are selected for 

 nesting- sites were invariablv decayed inside, and after the birds had chiseled 

 through the live wood, which was usually only from 1 to 2 inches thick, the 

 remainder of the work was comparatively easy; the same site, if not disturbed, 

 was occupied for several seasons, and in such the inner cavity was much deeper, 

 some being fully 30 inches deep and generally about 4 inches wide at the 

 bottom. The entrance hole varies from 2 to 2^ inches in diameter, and when 

 this is made by the birds it is always perfectly circular; but occasionally a pair 

 will take advantage of an old knot hole, if it and the cavity it leads to are not 

 too large. The presence of fresh chips found at the bottom of the tree enabled 

 me to readily tell if the site was a newly made one, or one of the previous 

 year, and a rap against the trunk easily told if it was occupied. On its 

 breeding grounds Lewis's Woodpecker appears to be a stupid and rather 

 sluggish bird; it does not show nearly as much parental affection as most of the 

 other members of this family, and it is much less demonstrative. It is not at 

 all shy at such times, and Avill often cling to some convenient limb on tlie same 

 free while its eggs are being taken, without making the least complaint. A 

 second and smaller set is generally laid a couple of weeks later, if the first one 

 is taken, and not infrequently in the same nest, if the entrance hole has been 

 left intact. Both sexes assist in incubation, and this lasts about two weeks. 

 The young leave the nest about three weeks after they are hatched, and are 

 readily tamed. I kept a couple for several days, but they had such enormous 

 appetites that I was glad to give them their liberty, as they kept me busy 

 providing suitable food. They were especially fond of grasshoppers, but also 

 ate raw meat, and climbed everywhere over the rough walls of my house. A 

 considerable share of the food of these birds is picked up off the gTOund, and 

 they appear to be much more at home there than W(iodpeckers generally are. 

 The young are fed on insects, and I believe also on berries; I have seen one 

 of these birds alight in a wild strawberry patch, pick up something, evidently 

 a strawberry, fly to a tree close by in which the nest was situated, and give it 

 to one of the young which was clinging- to the side of the tree close to the 



nestmg site. 



From five to nine eggs are laid to a set; those of six or seven are the most 

 common, Init sets of eight are not very rare; I found several of that number, 

 and a single set of mne. 



The eggs of Lewis's Woodpecker vary greatly in shape and also in size. 

 They are mostly ovate or short ovate in shape, but an occasional set is decidedly 

 rounded ovate, while others are elliptical ovate; the shell is close grained and, in 



