HAIRY WOODPECKER. 45 1 



which is left only just sufficient for the passage of the parties. 

 The depth of the cavity is about 1 5 inches, and the eggs, 4 or 

 upwards, are white. The principal food of these birds is insects, 

 for they sometimes bore the trunks of the orchard trees. 



The " sapsucking " habit of this species, denied by some of our 

 most eminent naturalists, has been established by Mr. Frank 

 Belles, who published an interesting account of his observations in 

 "The Auk "for July, 1891. 



For several days Mr. Belles almost continuously watched a 

 number of these birds while they operated on trees in the vicinity 

 of his summer home at Chicarua, N. H. The birds drilled holes 

 in maple, oak, birch, and ash trees, and drank the sap as it dripped 

 from these holes. When one set of holes became " dry," others 

 were drilled, eight to sixteen on each tree, the new holes being 

 made higher up than the old. Some of the birds spent about 

 nine tenths of the time in drinking the sap. Mr. BoUes placed 

 under the trees cups made of birch bark and filled with maple 

 syrup, which the birds drank freely. Later brandy was added, 

 with amusing consequences, the mixture finally acting as an emetic. 

 He moreover states that the sap was not used as a trap for insects, 

 as some writers have supposed ; and while the birds caught insects 

 occasionally, these did not appear to form a large part of their diet. 

 An examination of the stomachs of a few birds revealed but little 

 insect remains, and that little was composed chiefly of ants. 



HAIRY WOODPECKER. 



Drvobates villosus. 



Char. Above, black and white, the back with long, slender, loose 

 hair-like feathers ; beneath, white ; outer tail-feathers white. Male with 

 scarlet band at back of head, which in the female is black. In immature 

 birds the crown is more or less tinged with red, or, sometimes with 

 yellow. Length 8/4 to 9 inches. 



Nest. In open woodland, pasture, or orchard j a cavity in a dead 

 trunk, without lining. 



Eggs. 4-5; white and glossy ; i.oo X 0.70. 



This common and almost familiar species is a resident 

 in most parts of America, from Hudson Bay to Florida, fre- 



