268 BoLLES on the Tello-v-hcllied Woodpecker. [July 



(hills. The upper holes were blowing bubbles of sap, and a 

 slow current was flowing from them, readily visible to the eye. 

 Many kinds of insects were upon the trunk, including ants, 

 common house flies, and hornets. One of the last named stimg 

 me without other provocation than my presence, and I descended 

 rapidly from the tree. By a mark made on July 23 I was able 

 to determine that in three weeks the drills in this red maple had 

 been carried eight inches up its trunk. 



On Sept. 5 I paid a final visit, for the season, to Orchard No. 

 I. There were no birds present between 2.30 and 3 v. M. But 

 little sap was flowing. The tree looked in better condition than 

 in July or August. 



Great numbers of hornets were in control of the tree. A few 

 butterflies hovered near, but were driven away by the quarrel- 

 some hornets. 



On May i, 1S91, I took advantage of a brief trip to Chocorua 

 to visit OrchaiTl No. i. The Sapsuckers were there and had 

 evidently been at work several days. The red maple, their prin- 

 cipal tree, was covered with flowers above the belt of drills, and 

 with newly opened leaves on its lower limbs. The female was 

 dipping at a series of new drills which had been opened two feet 

 above the old belt. Forty-three holes had been cut on the trunk 

 and nearly as many more on several adjoining limbs. Sap was 

 flowing from the upper holes only, and not in abundance. It 

 was slightly sweet. The male came to the tree once during my 

 stay of half an hour, but he spent most of his time on a poplar a 

 few rods distant, where he was digging his family mansion. 

 The poplar was a vigorous tree, about forty feet in height. The 

 hole was on the southeast side of the trunk a little more than 

 twenty feet from the ground. It seemed to be already four or 

 five inches deep. The birds were noisy, especially so when the 

 female went to inspect the male's digging, and when the male 

 came for a moment to the drills. Only two Sapsuckers appeared, 

 and no Hummingbirds were to be seen. There were practically 

 no insects to be found near the drills. 



During July and August, 1S90, I shot in all eight vSapsuckers 

 at the various orchards. I preserved their stomachs which were 

 well filled with insects. Some of these stomachs were examined 

 by Professor Hagen who wrote to me on Aug. 21st as follows: 



"The Woodpecker has hashed his food so fine, that it is beyond 



