140 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



ain ash and white pine trees were entirely killed. It is evi- 

 dent from the foregoing statements, that these birds manifest 

 an ungovernable and decided taste for the inner bark. As 

 these attacks were made in the spring, it is probable that the 

 sap which had begun to circulate, was the chief source of 

 attraction. We have observed them to attack trees in this 

 neighborhood, but never to such an extent. 



In the winter, tne seeds of grasses and of B etui a exccha* 

 and the berries of Junipcrus com mini is. J. I r irginiana^ and 

 Lonicera periclymennm, are the chief vegetable articles 

 of diet. The larvae and pupae of beetles, small spiders. 

 with the following mature coleoptera, Cratonychus cinereus-^ 

 C. pertinax^ Harpaliis compar, BostricJnts piui* and 

 others, constitute the insect portion of its bill of fare, during 

 the above season. Later, the common red 3Lnt(JFbrmica san- 

 guined) , Pang-us caliginosus, Chrysomela caruleipcnuis* 

 Donacia confluenta, and the caterpillars of Anisopteryx 

 yernata, Zerene catcnaria* and other geometers, Auisota 

 rubiciinda, Hybernia tiliaria, and many mature noctuids. 

 tineids, and tortricids, are destroyed in vast numbers. 



We have never observed this species nesting in Eastern 

 Pennsylvania, but have met w T ith individuals during the last of 

 May and the beginning of June, on the hills of the Wissahick- 

 on, which would seem to indicate that a few remain to breed. 

 The only nest which Wilson met with, was excavated in an 

 old pear-tree, from ten to eleven feet above the ground. The 

 opening was circular, and barely large enough for the entrance 

 of the birds ; the hole descended quite suddenly and widely 

 at a small angle downward, for a depth of fifteen inches. 

 The eggs were deposited upon the solid wood. Audubon 

 affirms that the hole is bored into an undecayed tree just 

 beneath a large branch, invariably facing southwardly 

 and is the result of the united efforts of both birds. The 

 eggs are laid upon a fe\v chips which are purposely left in 

 the bottom. Mr. C. S. Paine says these .birds nest in Ver- 

 mont, from the 2oth. of May to the ist. of June. Their nests 



