300 THE NORTHERN FLICKER. 
and swaying before the object of her choice, and to pour out an answering 
flood of softly whispered adulation. The best of it is, however, that these 
affectionate demonstrations are kept up during the nesting season, so that 
even when one bird relieves its mate upon the eggs it must needs pause for 
a while outside the nest to bow and sway and swap compliments. 
In nesting the Flicker usually chisels out a hole at a moderate height 
in orchard tree, fence-post, stub, or telegraph pole, but sometimes resorts to 
the dead tops of forest trees. In the West, in places where timber is less 
abundant, it sometimes drills holes through the roofs or sheathing of houses, 
and nests in the crannies within. Seven or eight highly polished, white eggs are 
laid upon the chips, which usually line the nest, and incubation begins custom- 
arily when the last egg is laid. The female is a close sitter, and instances 
are on record where pebbles dropped in upon her have failed to dislodge her, 
or where once being lifted off she brushed past the disturber to re-enter the 
nest. Altho provided with a bill which might prove a formidable weapon, 
the Flicker is of too gentle a nature to wield it in combat, and seldom offers 
any resistance whatever to the intruder. 
After fourteen days young birds are hatched, blind, ugly, helpless. In a 
few days more, however, they are able to cling to the sides of the nesting 
hollow, and are ready to set up a clamor upon the appearance of food. ‘This 
noise has been compared to the hissing of a nest of snakes, but as the fledg- 
lings grow it becomes an uproar equal to the best efforts of a telephone poie 
when the wires are singing. 
The young are fed entirely by regurgitation, not an attractive process, 
but one admirably suited to the necessities of long foraging expeditions and 
varying fare. When able to leave the nest the fledglings usually clamber 
about the parental roof-tree for a day or two before taking flight. Their 
first efforts at obtaining food for themselves are usually made upon the ground, 
where ants are abundant. These with grasshoppers and other ground- 
haunting insects make up a large percentage of the food, both of the young and 
adults. 
In many parts of the state the Flicker has suffered much from ignorant 
and thoughtless persecution. Indeed, it has been regarded in some quarters 
as a game bird. ‘To those who have any sense of economic or sentimental 
values, it must seem a shame to sacrifice such a beautiful, honest, and useful 
bird for his paltry mouthful of meat. As well shoot Cupid and roast him on a 
spit. 
