PICID^ — THE WOODPECKEUS 5(53 



Territory and in New Mexico; while Dr. Cooper, in his Report on the 

 zoology of Washington Territory, speaks of it as being connnon, during 

 sunimei", ill all the interior, districts, but seldom or never aj)proaciiing the 

 coast. It arrives at Puget Sound early in May, and some even remain, dur- 

 ing mild winters, in the Territory. According to his account, it l)urro\vs 

 holes for its nests at all heights from the ground, but commonly in dead 

 trees. The eggs are descril)ed as ])ure white, and, when fresh, translucent, 

 like those of all the "WoodiJCcker tribe, and hardly distinguisbal)l(! in size 

 and general appearance from tho.se of the (lolden-winginl Woodpecker 

 {Colaptcs (lurntus). Its harsh call is rarely uttered in summer, wh<;n it 

 seems to seek concealment for itself and nest. The Hocks of young, which 

 in fall a.ssooiate together to the number of eight or ten, are more noisy. Dr. 

 Suckley, in the same Itcjiort (jiage IHi'), speaks of tliis Woodp>.'''ker as being 

 very abundant throughout the more open portions of the timbered region of 

 the northw> st coast, preferring oak openings and groves. At Fort 1 )alli's, on 

 the Columbia, they are extremely numerous, not (jnly breeding there iluring 

 summer, but also found as winter residents. Their breeding-idaces are gen- 

 erally holes in oak and other trees, which, from the appearance of all he 

 examined, seemed to have been excavated fortlie purpose. At Puget Sound 

 this species was found less freipiently than at Fort Dalles, on the Columbia. 

 At the latter ])lace they were constant winter residents. Dr. Suckley also 

 speaks of tliem as being semi-gregarious in their habits. 



Mr. Lord thinks that this Woodpecker is not to be met with west of the 

 Cascade ^[ountains, but says it is very often found between the Cascades and 

 the liocky Mountains, where it fretpients the open timber. The habits and 

 modes of fligiit of this bird, he states, are not the least like a Woodpecker's. 

 It flies with a heavy Happing motion, much like a Jay, fee<ls a good deal on 

 the ground, and chases insects on the wing like a Slirike or a Kingbird. 

 "Whilst mating they assemble in large numbers, and keep up a continual, 

 loud, chattering noise. They arrive at Colville in A])ril, begin nesting in 

 May, and leave again in October. The nest is in a hole in a dead pine-tree, 

 usually at a consideral)le height from tlie ground. 



Dr. Cones says this bird is very common at Fort Whij)])le, in Arizona, 

 where it remained in moult until November. 



Mr. J. A. Allen found this the most numerous of the Pirida- in ("olo- 

 rado Territory. Ho also states that it differs consideriibly in its ha1)its from 

 all the other Woodpeckers. He fre([uently noticed it rising high into the 

 air almost vertically, and to a great height, api)arently in pursuit of insects, 

 and descending again as abru])tly, to repeat tlie same mameuvre. It was 

 met with by Mr. Kidgway in the Sacramento Valley, along tlie eastern base 

 of the Sierra Nevada, and in the East Humboldt Mountains. In the first- 

 mentioned locality it was the most abundant Woodpecker, a iid inhabited the 

 scattered oaks of the plains. In the .second region it was very abundant — 

 perhaps more so than any other species — among the scattered pines along 



