THE WOODPECKERS. 



147 



" quite numerous about Lake Tahoe. ... At the lake they were 

 quite fearless, coming close to the hotel and industriously tapping the 

 trees in the early morning and evening. ... I noticed their burrows 

 in low pine-trees. ... I found them silent birds, though probably 

 in the spring they have a great variety of calls." 



J. K. Lord records, 



" Both when on the wing and when clinging against a tree it con- 

 tinually utters a shrill, plaintive cry. Its favorite tree appears to be 

 the Pinus contorta, which grows at great altitudes. I do not think 

 this woodpecker is found (in British Columbia) except on the hill- 

 tops. " 



The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a migratory bird, 

 and seen in the 

 Middle States 

 usually only in 

 the spring and 

 autumn; but 

 there are bits of 

 territory in these 

 States wherein 

 the bird is accus- 

 tomed to remain 

 all summer and 

 breed. There has 

 been much dis- 

 cussion concern- 

 ing the habits of 

 this peculiar bird, 

 for its anatomy is 

 not that of other woodpeckers in some respects. 

 That it is capable of doing an immense deal of 

 harm to trees and does do it seems fully demon- 

 strated, and although a great insect-destroyer, this 



Yellow-bellied 

 Sapsucker. 



Red-headed 

 Woodpecker. 



