132 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 9-No. 11 



can assure the readers of the O. & O., that 

 it was not a very pleasant task to prepare 

 their eggs. 



The nests were similar to those of the 

 Comorants, the only perceptible difference 

 being in their size. They lay from two to 

 three eggs, usually three. We obtained 

 about two hundred eggs. 



The nests of the Oyster-catcher we were 

 unable to find. — Joseph SMrm, Santa 

 Cruz, Gal. 



Picidae. 



The following species of Woodpeckers 

 are found in the vicinity of Taftsville, Vt. 



Hairy Woodpecker, {Picas villosus). 

 Common. Eesident. Breeds, nesting in 

 May. More common in early winter than 

 at other times, and of more retiring habits 

 than the next named species. 



Downy Woodpecker, (P. pubescens). 

 Common. Eesident. Breeds. This, the 

 smallest of our Woodpeckers, finds its fa- 

 vorite breeding places in old neglected 

 orchards. Lays from four to six pure 

 white eggs the last of May or first of June. 

 In the autumn of 1876 a friend, who reports 

 to me many interesting observations in 

 bird life, called my attention to a hole 

 which had just been made by a Downy, in 

 a solid, dry oak gate post. It was as 

 spacious and complete as though designed 

 for a nest, but was never used. The nest 

 of the Downy excels in neatness and per- 

 fection of work, that of any other Wood- 

 pecker breeding in this locality, the hole at 

 the entrance often being as round and 

 perfect as though bored with an auger. I 

 have found this to be the most industrious 

 of our Woodpeckers. In the autumn of 

 1883 I saw two males, an adult and a 

 young, busily engaged in a small cherry 

 tree, searching the black knots with which 

 the tree was thickly infested. In a short 

 time they obtained from the black knot 

 over a hundred larvae, all of them being de- 

 voured by the young bird. When the 

 adult bird found a larva he gave an almost 



inaudible cluck, which- instantly called the 

 young to receive the tempting food. 



Black-backed Woodpecker, (Pic.oides arc- 

 ticus). Bare. Winter visitor. Birds of 

 this species are often er met with than of 

 the following. 



Banded-backed Woodpecker, (P. tridac- 

 tylus americanus). Bare. Winter visitor. 



Yellow-bellied Woodj)ecker, {Sphyrapi- 

 cas varius). Common. Summer resident. 

 Breeds. Arrives in April. Some often re- 

 main until late autumn. I have had abun- 

 dant opportunities to study the breeding 

 habits of this species and with rare excep- 

 tions, have found them to select a live tree 

 in which to make their nest. 



One hole, from which I took a clutch of 

 five eggs, was twenty feet up 'in a live, 

 sound looking beech tree, and went four 

 inches horizontally through sound green 

 wood, to the defective heart, in which it 

 went down eight or nine inches. 



In a large butternut tree near my home 

 are four holes, in a nearly perpendicular 

 row, about ten inches apart, made by this 

 species (probably the same pair) in four 

 successive season, (the last one being made 

 this season), in each of which a family of 

 young have been reared. The Yellow- 

 billed, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are 

 most unjustly persecuted. The three 

 species are called Bed-headed Woodpeckers 

 or Sapsuckers, and are shot whenever there 

 is an opportunity. 



Pileated Woodpecker, {Uylotomus pilea- 

 tus). Not common. Eesident. Breeds. 

 This is the largest and most shy of the 

 Woodpeckers found here. Confined to 

 the more thickly timbered districts. 

 They are closely persued by gunners. 



Eed-headed Woodpecker, (Melanerptes 

 erythrocephalzis). Bare. Summer visitor. I 

 have noted it but twice, May 11th, and 

 July 17, 1883. 



Yellow-shafted Flicker, (Golaptes aura- 

 tus). Abundant. Summer resident. Breeds. 

 Arrives in April. A few remian until Oct. 

 In this region they are often called Grass- 



