YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKEB. 



402. Sphyrapicus varius. 8% inches. 



Male witn a scarlet crown and throat; female with 

 a scarlet crown and white throat; young with the head 

 and neck mottled gray and white, with a few scarlet 

 feathers. 



This species has gained some ill-repute because of its 

 supposed habit of boring through the bark of trees in 

 order to get at the sap, and thus killing the trees. 

 However, 1 very much doubt if they do any appre- 

 ciable damage in this manner. I have watched a great' 

 many of them in the spring and fall and have clearly 

 seen that they .vere feeding upon insects in the same 

 way as the Downy. 



Note. A loud whining "whee," and other harsh calls 

 similar to the scream of a Blue Jay. 



Nest. In holes in trees, at heights from the ground 

 varying from eight to fifty feet. Late in May they lay 

 from four to seven white eggs (.85 x .60). 



Range. U. S. east of the Rockies, breeding from 

 Virginia and Missouri to Hudson Bay, and wintering 

 in southern U. S. 



