SAPSUCKERS AND THEIR GUESTS. 135 



the bark or in the air, for in swallowing an in- 

 sect they always occupied an appreciable time 

 in the process. 



During the forenoon I nailed to the tree near 

 the drills three tiny cups of birch bark. These 

 I filled with maple syrup. The birds, although 

 not disturbed by these cups, did not then drink 

 from them. In the course of the morning I shot 

 a crow and two blue jays from where I sat, 

 but the sapsuckers, although greatly startled by 

 the reports, returned quickly after their first 

 fright. 



The day following, July 23, I was on duty at 

 the tree from 9 A. M. until 6.30 p. M. I lay on 

 the ground concealed by the spreading branches 

 of a beech tree ; my watch hung from a twig be- 

 fore my eyes, while, equipped with pencil and 

 paper, I took notes of all that occurred from 

 minute to minute throughout the day. My 

 record runs as follows : 



Wednesday, July 23, 9 A. M. Arrive, climb tree, fill 

 cups, male sapsucker comes, scolds, goes off. No 

 insects in the sap. 



9.08. Male returns, dips from six holes. 



9.09. Goes out on dead limb. 



9.11. Hummer takes sap from two holes. I could hear 



no humming. Male quiet. 

 9.15. Young woodpecker comes. 

 9.17. Goes out on limb, having dipped 37 times in 9 



holes. Male flies. 



