BIRDS OF INDIANA. 835 



white. Below, belly pale yellow; sides with dusky pointed spots; 

 breast crossed with black, from which a black stripe runs on side 

 of throat to the base of the bill. Adult Female. Chin and throat, 

 white; crimson restricted or wanting' on top of head. Immature. 

 Black, red and white of head, neck and breast wanting, or nearly so; 

 above, the mottling more or less brownish. 



Length, 7.75-8.75; wing, 4.80-5.00; tail, 2.90-3.20. 



RANGE. Eastern and northern North America, from Costa Eica 

 and West Indies north to Nova Scotia, northern Ontario, Great Slave 

 Lake, Ft. Liard, B. C.; west to Texas, Kansas, North Dakota and 

 Manitoba, Accidental in Greenland. Breeds from mountains of 

 North Carolina, northern New England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, 

 Illinois, northward. Winters from Illinois, Indiana and Pennsyl- 

 vania, southward. 



Nest, a hole in a tree. Eggs, 5-7; glossy white; .88 by .67. 



Winter resident southward, and, occasionally, over most of the 

 State, varying in numbers; rare summer resident northward; common 

 everywhere during migrations. 



This is the Sapsucker. Others are called by his name, and get the 

 credit of his deeds. It is more quiet and sluggish than the other 

 Woodpeckers commonly seen. With its bill it pierces the bark of 

 several kinds of trees, making round, oval or approximately quad- 

 rangular holes, arranged in circles or spirals, about the trunk or larger 

 limbs. This is done for three things; to secure the sap; to obtain the 

 inner bark (cambium); to attract insects. All of these it feeds upon. 

 It knows when sugar making begins. Then its work upon the sugar 

 and soft maples begins. I have found their borings, from which 

 sap was flowing, February 15, 1896. Through March and into April 

 they continue this work. As warm days come in March, the insects 

 are drawn by the flow of sap and sometimes, upon the east hill-sides, 

 the sound from their wings recalls the hum of a hive of bees. In 

 this way food comes to the eater. But little effort is required on the 

 part of the Sapsucker to supply his wants. In some parts of the 

 New England States it has been observed they have sugar orchards 

 which they frequent regularly. In fall when they come to us they 

 resume their work of piercing the bark of maple, -apple, and other 

 trees. Sometimes they merely reopen the old puncture, by cutting 

 the healing edges, and enlarging the hole. I have found their fresh 

 work on young apple trees, never before pierced, as late as November 

 19, 1895. Pine trees are also girdled, chiefly, however, through the 

 winter, for among them the Sapsucker spends his winter, and about 

 lawns where pines and maples grow together they are most commonly 



