THE NORTHWESTERN FLICKER. 451 
in a large building, whose unused chimneys were covered with sheet-iron. A 
Flicker had learned the acoustic value of these elevated drums, and the sound 
of this bird’s reveille at 4: 00 a. m. was a regular feature of life at “Council 
Hall.” 
The most characteristic of the bird’s vocal efforts is a piercing call delivered 
from an elevated situation, clape or kly-ak, and cheer or kee-yer. ‘The scythe- 
whetting song is used for greeting, coaxing or argumentation, and runs from 
a low wee-co, wee-co—thru wake-up, wake-up, wake-up—to an emphatic 
wy-kle, wy-kle, wy-kle, or, in another mood sounds like flicker, flicker, flicker. 
In the ear- 
ly days of 
April court- 
ship is in 
progress, and 
the love- 
making of 
the Flicker is 
both the most 
curious and 
the most con- 
spicuous of 
anything in 
that order. 
An infatuat- 
ed Flicker is 
a very soft 
and _ foolish- 
looking bird, 
but it must 
be admitted 
A NESTING SITE OF THE NORTHWEST FLICKER. 
that he thor- 
THE LARGEST STUB CONTAINED SIX EGGS ON THE POINT OF HATCHING JULY 7, 1908, 
oly under- WHEN THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN. 
stands the 
feminine heart and succeeds in love beyond the luck of most. A bevy of 
suitors will lay siege to the affections of a fair lady, say in the top of a 
sycamore tree. Altho the rivalry is fierce, one gallant at a time will be 
allowed to display his charms. This he does by advancing toward the female 
along a horizontal limb, bowing, scraping, pirouetting, and swaying his 
head from side to side with a rythmical motion. Now and then the 
swain pretends to lose his balance, being quite blinded, you see, by the 
luster of milady’s eyes, but in reality he does it that he may have an 
excuse to throw up his wings and display the dazzling flame which lines 
Taken in Rainier National Park. Photo by W. Leon Dawson. 
