CONSPICUOUSLY BLACK AND WHITE 387] 
Tahoe and are not at all difficult to watch. The site 
chosen for a nest is oftenest in the sheltered woods, 
where they excavate in the trunk of a dead tree. One 
that I watched was situated about ten feet from the 
ground ; standing on my saddled horse, [ could reach 
into it but for one obstacle, —the relative size of the 
door and my hand. I was unwilling to cut away the 
wood about the door, so contented myself with observ- 
ing from a distance of fifteen feet. The father bird was 
especially fearless, and sat most of the time on the top of 
the nest tree, where he drummed occasionally to reassure 
his mate in the nest. When I tried to put my hand into 
the cavity, both birds came within six feet of me, utter- 
ing low angry calls, and before I had fairly reseated my- 
self in the saddle, the male had entered the nest. 1 
could hear him reassuring the young, which all this time 
had kept up a tremendous hissing, after the manner of 
all birds born in hollow trees. As I sat there just far 
enough away to see well what was going on, both 
parents brought insects to the nestlings every ten min- 
utes. These were usually butterflies, grasshoppers, or 
dragonflies ; but the male frequently picked up the large 
ants that swarmed over a log I had broken open, and 
carried them to the nest. He was much more fearless 
than the female, 
a trait so rare among birds that it 
deserves especial mention. 
In the same tree with this nest of the Williamson 
Sapsuckers there were a nest of the pygmy nuthatches 
on the other side of the tree and another of a bluebird 
a little lower down. The nuthatches were, if possible, 
