506 NORTH AMERICAN BIRD8. 



tracts intervening between the junction of the Missouri and ^lississippi, and 

 tlie iiortlieni borders of tlic great lake. He adds that not an individual was 

 found by him or by his sons in Elaine, where he did, however, obtain in great 

 aliundanee the variety he called P. canadensis. According to Sir John Rich- 

 ardson it is found as far to the north as the Ood 2)arallel. It remains all tlie 

 year round in tiie fur countries, and is the most common species up to the 

 fifty -sixth degree of latitude, north of which it yields in fretjuoncy to the 

 tiiree-tocd species. Dr. Woodhouse speaks of it as common in Texas and 

 in the Indian Territory. Althougli not crossing the liocky IMountains in 

 the United States, it reaches the Pacific Coast of I'ritish Columbia, and is 

 found north as far as Sitka, and ])erhaps still farther, tlius replacing the var. 

 harrisi. It is a resident, and not a migratory, sjiecies, and wlierever found 

 it also breeds. Several specimens have been killed in England. 



According to the observations of "Wilson, this Woodpecker frecjuents the 

 orchards and cultivated grounds, and is less wild and more domestic than 

 most of the species. In May, with its mate, it seeks the retirement of the 

 woods to breed, selecting a branch already hollowed, or excavating one for 

 itself. In the former case the nest has been known to be four or five feet 

 from the opening. AVhen it excavates its own opening, it digs horizon- 

 tally six or eight inches into the 1)ody of the tree, and then downward 

 to about twice that distance, carrying iip the chips in the bill or scrap- 

 ing them out with the feet. Tliey not unfrequently breed in orchards, 

 and have been even known to excavate their holes in the rails of old 

 fences. Tlie female lays five white eggs, which are usiuilly hatched out 

 early in June. 



jMr. Audubon observed these birds, at all seasons, in almost every ])ossible 

 locality, from the isolated trees of large towns and cities, even to the very 

 midst of tlic salt marshes about the mouth of the ^Iississii»pi. He found 

 the excavation for the nest more frecpiently running obli(piely than [lerpen- 

 dicularly. In the Southern States they rear two broods in a season, the first 

 appearing the last of May, the second usually aliout tlie first of August. In 

 tile middle and northern districts they rarely raise more than one. Tiiose 

 which Mr. Audubon observed to raise iiKjre than one brood in a season made 

 use of the same excavation for both, and not unfreijuently within a few yards 

 of a house. The eggs of the first brood he found usually six in number, and 

 of the second four. Where they have but one brood, the number varies from 

 four to six, and in two instances he has found seven. The measure given by 

 him is one inch in length by .69 of an inch in breadth. They are elliptical 

 or almost erpially rounded at both ends, smoot]i,pure white, and translucent. 

 The young remain in the nest until well able to fly. 



Mr. Audubon states that the Hairy Woodpecker becomes, during the win- 

 ter months, a very common bird in all parts of the Southern States, coming 

 to t! •'arm-yards with the downy sjiecies to glean the grains of corn left by 

 the c^ctle. At this season their visits to the corn-cribs are extremelv fie- 



