286 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



ance was very pin-feathery, with wing-quills and tail but partly 

 grown. It was a male and the red malar patch was noticeable, 

 so this marking is attained the first year. The stomach con- 

 tained a considerable quantity of whole fruit and stones of the 

 choke-cherry, as well as remains of ants and grubs. During 

 the breeding season — always the noisy period in a woodpecker's 

 life — my birds retired to the larger growth, a half mile away, 

 to call and rap, never making any noise when in the grove 

 containing the nest that would attract attention. 



In my locality, this species does not seem to decrease in 

 numbers, a condition probably equally true in most parts of 

 the State. They are fairly prolific, have few natural enemies, 

 and by their wariness and retiring habits, largely escape the 

 semi-eternal gunner. With conditions thus favorable, they 

 may be expected to hold their own fairly well. In "The Auk," 

 Vol. X V, No. 2, Mr. Bangs calls attention to the well-known 

 larger size of our northern bird, which he considers entitled to 

 recognition as a sub-species, and names the Northern Pileated 

 Woodpecker, Ceophoeus pileatus abieticola, choosing a Green- 

 ville, Me., bird as a type. The bird seems to have as good a 

 claim to such recognition as some already in the "List." 



With the bursting buds of May I hope to find my pair of 

 woodpeckers back in the same grove, where, if nothing happens 

 to them, I expect them to finish and occupy the hole commenced 

 last summer in the old stub. 



Since the above paper was read at our annual meeting in 

 1898, further observations have been made which may briefly 

 supplement the paper, now requested for publication. Prophecy 

 in bird life is, at best, of doubtful fulfilment, and it was with 

 some satisfaction that I found, when I visited the old stub, on 

 May 13, 1899, that the hole had indeed been finished, and at 

 that date contained four eggs nearly one-half incubated. The 

 entrance to this hole was four inches in diameter and it was 20 

 inches deep. The male was on the nest, remaining near and 

 calling once. 



