CHAPTER VI 



BIRDS THAT NEST IN HOLLOW TREES AND 

 STUMPS 



LAST spring the Flickers were in the 

 orchard early in April, before there was 

 any appearance of spring foliage and 

 when the fields were bleak and bare. Before 

 the nest boxes were put up they had examined 

 all the trees that gave the slightest evidence of 

 a hollow centre. One of the main limbs of an 

 apple tree had been cut off, and the portion 

 where it had been cut was decaying in the 

 centre ; evidently the Flickers took it for a hol- 

 low tree and commenced boring a hole as round 

 and smooth as any bit could have made it. 

 When they had gone in a couple of inches and 

 found no further evidence that the tree was 

 hollow they gave it up and tried another, which 

 turned out to be really hollow ; and after mak- 

 ing an opening they secured an excellent nest. 

 Hard pushed for a home they must have been 

 to work so long at the hard apple wood. This 

 tree had been preserved for them after many 

 arguments with the men, who said it was in 

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