XI2 BoLLES, Young Safsiickers in Captivity. [April 



from the wood upon which the drops fell. Number One made 

 his first attempt to catch a fly on the netting, but failed. 



During more than half the day the birds were in motion, flying 

 from one side of the cage to the other, hitching up and down the 

 netting or the perpendicular perches, and pounding on the net- 

 ting, boards and perches. Twice they gave the squealing note of 

 alarm so characteristic of the wild Sapsucker. At night I looked 

 to see how^ they slept. They were side by side, hanging erect 

 upon the back wall of the cage, with their heads tucked under 

 their wings. One by one they waked and turned with sleepy 

 surprise to look at the lamplight glaring at the mouth of their 

 cage. 



On July lo I made serious efforts to teach the birds to feed 

 themselves. Catching them at intei-vals, I dipped their bills into 

 the syrup in their cups, forcing them to drink. By 9.30 a.m. 

 Number One had learned his lesson. Two hours later Number 

 Two drank voluntarily, and a little after one o'clock the feeble 

 and timid Number Three followed suit. Early in the afternoon 

 Three seemed so exhausted by the blows showered upon her by 

 One and Two that I thought she was going to die. I took her 

 out and allowed her to perch upon the top of the cage. Sud- 

 denly she revived, slipped through my hand, flew the length 

 of the open barn, out into the trees beyond, and was gone. After 

 searching for her for over an hour, I gave her up as lost. 



At 8 A.M. the next day I heard a Sapsucker squeal near the 

 house, and running out found Three sitting on top of a clothes- 

 line post. She looked bright and knowing, but did not ofler to 

 fly, even when I extended my hand to catch her. Clasping her 

 quickly, I carried her back to the cage. She was very hungry, 

 and went at once to a cup and drank long and often. Her brief 

 outing had given her courage to stand tip against the attacks of 

 the others, and I had no further anxiety for her health. I filled 

 their cups at 8 a.m., i p.m., 4 p.m., and at dark, — the last as a 

 precaution against unseasonable tapping in the morning. 



During the next few days I filled the cups several times a day, 

 and the birds drank freely, and seemed happy and perfectly 

 healthy. On July 17, being satisfied that the birds never would 

 learn to go up and down between the upper and lower cages, I 

 removed the upper cage and placed it on the floor beside the 

 lower one, opening a door between the two so that the birds 



