46 , PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



a bird in the valley. They are occasionally seen in flight across 

 open country. Their large, elongated excavations in dead tree- 

 trunks are observed everywhere in the woods. Many of these 

 holes are within three to five feet of the ground. The sounds 

 of the heavy blows they strike with their bills are loud and carry 

 a considerable distance and indicate bj^ the tempo that they 

 work deliberately rather than rapidly. While sometimes they 

 are not ver}^ shy, usually much care has to be used in making an 

 approach in order to see one at work. They are not met with 

 on the higher elevations of the mountains, but have been often 

 noted in the swampy woods around the several ponds. 



In 1908, on August 26, two were at work on the same tree 

 upon the side of Boy Mountain at an elevation of about 2000 

 feet, and a third was seen but a short distance away. In the 

 fall one has occasionally been seen on the grounds of one of the 

 hotels or cottages on the Highland very near to the house. 

 Throughout the season of 19 10 the species was more than usually 

 in evidence both by call and repeated observation of birds, 

 although they may not have been many in number. 



77. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed 



Woodpecker. 



A rare visitant. There are two records. On September 16, 

 1900, one came flying from the westward across a broad field at 

 the foot of the Highland and alighted at the border of the fifty- 

 acre piece of woodland, where I viewed it for ten minutes or 

 more upon its perch. It was an immature bird, showing no 

 red upon the head and neck. 



Mr. Spaulding furnishes the other record, that of an adult 

 bird seen by Mr. Owen Durfee and himself on June 14, 1906. 

 This bird, they state, "was tame and allowed a quite close 

 approach; it was noisy, and a very conspicuous bird." 



78. Colaptes auratus luteus. Northern Plicker. 



A rather common summer resident of the more open country 

 and thinned woods, but not found in the deep forests, preferring 



