THE RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. 431 



breeding in the inw hills back of Cliiiloii. where one wimlil hardh' expect 

 to find any three-locd woodpecker. Usually the species is found in the 

 gloomy forests of haisani, sjiruce. and hemlock, and up to timliei- line 

 Here it is a silent bird, its ta])ping being nsualh- tbi' onlv sign of its 

 presence. 



Tiie cry is a sharp cluck without the insistent ring of its allies of 

 tiie Dyrohatcs grou]). In spring the usual chattering cry, comnton to so many 

 woodpeckers, is heard, but this is more subdued and guttural thai; that of 

 the Hairy Woodpecker. The males will also hang for hours on some dead 

 spire beating the regular rattling tattoo of all true woodpeckers. 



When shot. e\'en if instantly killed, three-toed woodpeckers of both 

 species have a marvelous faculty of remaining clinging to the tree in death. 

 Where the trunks are draped with Usiica moss, it is impossible to bring one 

 down, except when winged — then they attempt to lly, and fall to earth: 

 but when killed outright they remain securely fastened by their strong cur\ed 

 claws. Repeated shots fail to dislodge them, and it is no joke to dro]i 

 a big tree with a camp axe. as 1 have done, only to find at the finish 

 that you cannot discover the object of \dur quest in the tangle of broken 

 branches and dense rhododendron scruli. The only chance is to lea\-e the 

 bird and to visit the foot of the tree when the relaxing muscles have at 

 length permitted the bod}- to drop — usually within two days. Once I was 

 fortunate enough to observe the e.xact position that enabled the bird to 

 maintain its grip. I had shot and killed an .Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker 

 oil a low stump. On going u\) I found the bird's feel to be three inches 

 apart by measurement : the tail was firr,ily braced, and the further the Ixxh' 

 was tilted back the nioi'e firmh- tlu- I'laws held in the bark. 



.Al.I.AX Hkooks. 



No. 171. 



RKD-NAPED SAPSl'CKER. 



.A. O. U. Xo. 402 a. Sphyrapicus variiis niichalis llaird. 



Description. — .Uliilt iiuiU-: I'ileuiu. thmat. and nuchal band carmine tor 

 popj)y-rc<l to crimson): crown and throat iiatches dermed Iw^ black, narrowlv on 

 sides, broadly behind, the black border of throat below forming a conspicuous 

 crcscentic chest-band : a white streak over and behind eye, more or less continuous 

 witli black-and-white mottling of u])i)er-back : a transverse stri])e from nostril 

 around throat and chest, and continuous with white of underparts : remaining 

 upi)er])arts black, variously spotted, banded, and blotched with white: middle 

 coverts and U])pcr tail-coverts nearly pure white, the first-nanicd forming with 

 the e.xposcd edges of the greater coverts a brnail white wing-band: luidcrparts 

 centrally pure white or tluslud with -nlplmr yellow : sides, flanks, and under tail- 



