WOODPECKERS 285 



the '96 nest, the entrance being five inches in diameter, the 

 horizontal depth ten inches, and the vertical depth from the 

 entrance, 17 inches. In 1898 I was away from home and did 

 not return until May 14th. The next day I visited my wood- 

 pecker grove, and found a new hole had been dug in the old 

 stub, a little below the last one used. I pounded the stub, but 

 could start nothing. On climbing, I was somewhat surprised 

 to see the male leave the old hole, already twice used. The 

 new hole was but partly dug; the old one contained four fresh 

 eggs. These I left until the next day, when I found the female 

 on the nest. She left as I neared the nest, remaining near 

 and calling once or twice, the first time either bird had 

 uttered a note while I was at the nest. The nest hole was 

 deepened three inches, but not otherwise changed. The four 

 eggs were nearly equal size, much smaller than those of '96 

 and '97, and seemingly similar to those of '95. They measure 

 1.25 X 1.00, 1.24 X 0.98, 1.23 x 1.00, 1.23x0.94 inches. 



In his " Life Histories," Bendire says of the nest of this 

 species: " The entrance measures from 3 to 3 J inches in 

 diameter, and it often goes 5 inches straight into the trunk 

 before it is worked downward. The cavity varies fiom 7 to 

 30 inches in depth and is gradually enlarged toward the bot- 

 tom, where it is about 6 inches wide. 



My nests differ from this description, being the reverse in 

 shape. The entrances are larger also. 



The birds are probably mated for life. One brood is reared 

 in a season. I find that when the set is taken another is laid 

 and the brood reared just the same as if they had not been 

 disturbed. The young birds remain with the parents some 

 time after leaving the nest. I saw three birds at work on one 

 tree Sept. 20th, '97. They were apparently a female and two 

 young and were not at all suspicious, as I was able to get 

 directly beneath the tree they were on and watch them for 

 some time before they took alarm. 



A young bird shot Sept. 26th and given me by an acquaint- 



