Vol. XXI"j Stockard, Woodpeckers and Vultures in Mississippi. 465 



difficult to reach, had not been disturbed previous to this occasion. 

 Again the burrow was deserted, no second one was constructed, 

 and the birds remained for the rest of the season in this same 

 wood where every suitable tree could be watched. Another set 

 of four eggs was taken on April 8, and the conduct of the birds 

 was much the same. The fourth, a set of four eggs, was allowed 

 to hatch, and the parents were as shy after the nest contained 

 young as they had been before. They would disappear whenever 

 the nest was visited and would not return until the intruder was 

 away. When I would leave and conceal myself some distance 

 away the birds would return within less than two minutes, fly to 

 the hole, peer in, and finding all safe, would again fly away. 

 But when the observer after leaving the burrow remained in the 

 open about thirty yards from the nest tree, at least ten or fifteen 

 minutes would pass before the birds would come within sight ; 

 then they would immediately turn and fly back without approach- 

 ing the nest. They had evidently hidden themselves in the wood 

 and watched the actions about the nest and came back only when 

 they felt that danger was past. Later observations showed that 

 this was an unusually shy pair. 



In 1902 seven pairs were found. Four of these seven laid sets 

 of four eggs each, two pairs gave sets of three each, and one pair 

 had a set of only two eggs. These are the smallest sets that I 

 have known from a woodpecker. Five is about the usual number 

 of eggs for the family in Mississippi. In the seven cases the 

 nests w^ere all in similar localities, the burrows little different in 

 size and other particulars, and the nesting habits of the birds 

 much as those cited above. 



Five pairs were located during December, 1902, and January, 

 1903. Four of these pairs were birds that had been watched in 

 their respective woods the previous season. They all nested in 

 the same brakes during the spring of 1903. On March 18 an- 

 other pair was located in the act of preparing the burrow. These 

 six nests had four sets of four eggs each, one set of only three 

 eggs, and one containing five eggs, the only set of five found in 

 seventeen nests. Four of these sets were hatched. The two 

 pairs from which the eggs were taken did not lay a second set nor 

 build another nest, though as usual they remained in the same 

 wood throughout the season. 



