BIRDS OF THE PACIFIC DISTRICT. 67 



though rarely seen in the valleys. I have seen a con- 

 siderable number of its burrows in Calaveras, Tuolumne, 

 Alpine, Butte, and other counties. They are rarely 

 below 30 feet, and are often overlooked or found with 

 some difficulty, as they frequently are in bark-covered 

 trees. It was noticed at Sierra Valley and Donner Lake. 



Willamette Valley. 0. B. Johnson. Not very com- 

 mon. I found a nest in a cottonwood stub about 30 feet 

 from the ground. 



Cooper, 1860. I have only met with them three times, 

 in spring and fall. 



Suckley, 1860. I have seen but one specimen. 



British Columbia. John Fannin. Transient visi- 

 tant; not common. 



Ridgway. Observed o-nly in the Sierra Nevada, chiefly 

 on the western slope of that range. 



Henshaw, 1879. I was able to obtain no evidence that 

 this variety summers along the eastern slope, and am 

 compelled to believe that it is only found here in the 

 character of a fall and winter visitor. 



75. Sphyrapicus thyroideus(Cass.) WILLIAMSON'S SAP- 

 SUCKER. 



Henshaw, 1876. Quite common in the heavy pine 

 and redwood forests near Mt. Whitney in September, and 

 they doubtless breed there. 



Central California. L. B. Tolerably common from 

 about 7,000 feet upward in summer often breeding in 

 living tamaracks and covered with their resinous juice. 

 In winter, down to about the lower edge of the sugar 

 pines (Pinus lambertiana ) , altitude about 2,500 feet, 

 but rare here and mostly female or young birds found 

 so low, while at Big Trees, January 6-13, 1879, I got 

 thirteen adult males. In breeding season they are most 

 numerous in the tamaracks in valleys as at Blood's, Her- 



