Vol. XXXVI 



1918 



Dice, Birds of Southeastern Washington. 157 



timber near Hompeg Falls. The female had the tail feathers worn down 

 to stubs not over three-fourths of an inch in length. 



Sitta carolinensis aculeata. Slender-billed Nuthatch. — One 

 was seen Aug. 7, 1913, in a cherry orchard east of Prescott. A specimen 

 from the Blue Mountains is in the Whitman College collection. 



Sitta canadensis. Red-breasted Nuthatch. — Occasional, except 

 perhaps in summer, in the timber along the Touchet River near Prescott. 

 In 1908 they were still at Prescott on June 20, and in 1915 the first was seen 

 Sept. 5. In late July and early August, 1914, numbers were noted on the 

 ridges of the Blue Mountains. They were numerous in western larch and 

 in Douglas spruce, and one was seen in alpine fir forest. 



Sitta pygmaea pygmaea. Pygmy Nuthatch. — Reported common in 

 the forests of the Blue Mountains in Columbia County by S. H. Lyman, 

 who has examined two or three nests. 



Penthestes atricapillus septentrionalis. Long-tailed Chickadee. 

 — Several were seen in the willows along the Walla Walla River east of 

 Wallula in early June, 1914. At Prescott they are a common resident in 

 the timber along the Touchet River. In late July, 1914, they were common 

 in lowland fir forest near Hompeg Falls. One flock was seen on Aug. 5 

 in the brush beside Butte Creek. 



Nests in process of construction have been found near Prescott on April 

 7, 1906; April 9, 1906; April 9, 1913; and April 10, 1913. In each case 

 the nest was excavated in the decayed wood of orchard or shade trees. In 

 early June, 1908 several flocks of nearly fledged young accompanied by 

 both parents were seen. 



The process of nest excavation was watched for a short time on April 10, 

 1914. This nest was being excavated in the rotten heart of a pear tree, 

 and entrance was obtained through the end of a stub about four feet from 

 the ground. The male and female took part equally in the work, and the 

 labors were continued throughout the day. A vigorous pecking could be 

 heard while either bird was at work. The excavated material was carried 

 in the bill a distance of ten yards or more from the nest before being dropped. 

 It was not dropped in the same place each time, but was scattered over a 

 wide area. Usually the birds alighted on some branch before dropping 

 the debris, but sometimes it was dropped while the bird was flying. As 

 soon as one bird left the hole the other entered immediately. Sometimes 

 the bird outside had to wait a short time. Between 12 M. and 1 P. M. the 

 average time each bird spent in the nest hole was thirty seconds and the 

 shortest time four seconds. 



Penthestes gambeli gambeli. Mountain Chickadee. — In the 

 winter of 1905-06 several flocks lived in the trees along the Touchet River 

 east of Prescott. They did not associate with the long-tailed chickadees, 

 but the two species fought when they met. In the summer of 1914 several 

 were seen on the high ridges of the Blue Mountains in alpine fir forest, in 

 western larch forest, and in Douglas spruce forest. Some were seen in 

 yellow pine and in Douglas spruce forests on the low ridges near Hompeg 

 Falls, but none were observed in the canyons. 



