WOODPECKERS 287 



It was just a year later when I made my next annual visit, 

 and found that yet another hole had been made, still lower 

 down, which was of the same general proportions as preceding 

 ones, and about 18 inches in depth. The four eggs were much 

 incubated though the season was unusually late. 



The season of 1901 found me unable to do much outdoor 

 work, but especial effort was made to visit the woodpecker 

 grove which was done on May 6th. Another new and still 

 lower hole had been commenced, but it was but partly finished 

 and the faded appearance of the scattered chips indicated 

 that nothing had been done for some days. No birds were 

 seen or heard and it seemed very probable that this family so 

 long a resident in an exposed locality, was at last broken, and 

 one or both had come to the inevitable destiny of every bird-a 

 tragic death. 



In looking back over the years of my acquaintance with these 

 birds, their love of home seems their strongest trait. Undoubt- 

 edly they were old and had lived in that grove many years- 

 From a large and comparatively secluded woods, it has been 

 reduced to a small grove, and their winter wanderings must 

 many times have taken them some distance away, but despite 

 the changes, that grove was home, and every April found them 

 there ready to commence anew the real home life, for much of 

 a bird's life is wandering, and home only a summer's joy. 



Contrasting with this love of home was the indifference with 

 which they looked upon the interference with the nest. Always 

 the same indifference, never any especial interest, and no 

 apparent regret when the eggs were missed. 



Considering their wildness at other times of year, they are 

 unusually tame and unsuspicious at nesting time. In digging 

 the nest hole the chips are scattered about the stub, more being 

 carried away, and are of course, very noticeable from their 

 quantity. 



The eggs of this pair of birds have always been in sets of 

 three or four, and the similarity of these sets is perhaps the 



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