SAPSUCKERS AND THEIR GUESTS. 141 



neiffliboring; birches sliowins^ scars of earlier 

 years were quite dead. All stood on the crest 

 of a kame. About three rods along the ridge 

 to the eastward, a red oak and two or three 

 canoe birches were in use by the birds. Five 

 sapsuckers, including a male, female and three 

 young, were frolicking and dipping. The male 

 was somewhat rough with the young birds. I 

 stayed until 7.30. Humming-birds made thir- 

 teen visits in that time and were generally al- 

 lowed to dip freely. A black-and-white creeping 

 warbler was driven from the tree. A red- 

 eyed vireo was not disturbed in the higher foli- 

 age. Three separate times while one humming- 

 bird was dipping another came. The efPect was 

 astonishing. Volleys of squeaks proceeded from 

 both birds. They droj)ped directly downwards 

 from the tree about twenty feet, and when close 

 to the tops of bushes and brakes began to go 

 backwards and forwards like a long pendulum, 

 the trunk of the tree coming opposite the lowest 

 point of their course, and the arc made by them 

 measuring about forty feet. Their humming 

 and squeaking were continuous. At the end of 

 the performance only one bird was to be seen, 

 and he quietly perched in the tree. I think 

 this oscillating flight was made five or six 

 times in each of the three performances which 

 I witnessed. 



