126 LIFE HISTOEIBS OF JSTOETH AMEEICAN^ BIRDS. 



I do not believe for an instant that these birds are quite as readily deceived 

 as this. The real cause of their predilection for telegraph poles, in my opinion, 

 is this: These poles are in many instances taller than the prevailing timber 

 found in the vicinity, and afford a much better outlook over the surrounding- 

 country. All Woodpeckers are fond of clinging to the highest dry limbs they 

 can iind in the vicinity of their nesting sites; hence their preference for tele- 

 graph poles in prairie country or in mesquite and post-oak scrub, which rarely 

 attain any great, height in the dry plains and hills where they are usually found. 

 In such sections.the telegraph poles furnish not alone a better outlook, but also 

 convenient, and secure nesting sites, and they are not slow to avail themselves 

 of such advantages. 



Their food consists of insects of various kinds, such as beetles, ants, grass- 

 hoppers, also larvse, acorns, Indian corn, and different kinds of wild berries and 

 fruit. Considered from an economic point of view, this Woodpecker certainly 

 does more good than harm, and the only thing that can be said against it is 

 that in certain localities where it is common it may make itself more or less of 

 a nuisance by injuring telegraph poles. 



Nidification commences sometimes in the latter part of March, but usually 

 not much before the middle of April; both sexes assist in this labor, and it takes 

 from six to ten days to excavate a proper nesting site; both live and dead trees 

 are used for this purpose, as well as telegraph poles and fence posts; the holes 

 are rarely over 12 inches deep, and are situated at no great distances from the 

 ground, mostly from 6 to '25 feet up. From fotir to seven eggs are laid to a 

 set, usiially five or six; these are pure white; the shell is close grained, dull 

 looking, with little or no gloss, and varying in shape from ovate to short and 

 rounded ovate. 



Incubation lasts about fourteen days, and both sexes share this duty. The 

 earliest breeding record I have is April 7, 1884, on which date the late Capt. 

 B. F. Goss took a set of five eggs, near Corpus Christi, Texas, which is now in 

 the United States National Museum collection. It is probable that two broods 

 are occasionally raised in a season, as there are sets of eggs in the collection taken 

 in June, and two of these in the latter part of this month. 



The average measurement of seventy-three eggs in the United States 

 National Museum collection is 25.85 by 19.50 millimetres, or about 1.02 by 0.77 

 inches. The largest egg of the series measures 27.94 by 19.56 millimetres, or 

 1.10 by 0.77 inches; the smallest, 22.86 by 17.78 millimetres, or 0.90 by 0.70 

 inch. 



The type specimen. No. 20902 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was 

 taken by Dr., James C. Merrill, United States Army, near Fort Brown, Texas, 

 on April 28, 1877. 



