1^2 Indian Museum Notes. [^Vol. IV* 



a few in January, June, and December ; the great bulk were collected 

 in April, August, September, and October. They were obtained from 

 fifteen States, the District of Columbia, and Nova Scotia. All were 

 from the Northern States, except a few from North Carolina, Virginia 

 and the District of Columbia. Unlike any of the preceding species 

 the vegetable element of the food here exactly equals the animal 

 part. The insect matter was made up of ants, wasps, beetles, flies, 

 bugs, grasshoppers, crickets, and Mayflies. Some spiders also were 

 present. Of the whole food, 36 per cent, consisted of ants, a higher 

 percentage than in any other woodpecker except the Flicker. 

 Beetles amounted to 5 per cent, and do not appear to be a favourite 

 food. Flies [Dtptera) in various forms were eaten in larger numbers 

 than by any of the others. Among them were several long-legged 

 crane flies {Ttpultds). Spiders were eaten to a small extent only, 

 and most of these were phalangers or " daddy-longlegs,'' which, taken 

 with the crane flies, would indicate a slight preference for long- 

 legged prey. Bugs, wasps, caterpillars, crickets, and mayflies 

 collectively amount to about 6 per cent., no one of them reaching any 

 very important figure. Professor Samuel Aughey examined five 

 stomachs of the Yellow-beUied Woodpecker in Nebraska, all of which 

 contained grasshoppers. The number in each stomach varied from 

 15 to 33. 



Mr. William Brewster states that at Umbagog Lake, Maine, 

 " After the young have hatched, the habits of this Yellow-bellied 

 Woodpecker change. From an humble delver after worms and 

 larvae, it rises to the proud independence of a fly-catcher, taking its 

 prey on wing as unerringly as the best marksman of them all. From 

 its perch on the spire of some tall stub it makes a succession of 

 rapid sorties after its abundant victims, and then flies off to its nest 

 with bill and mouth crammed full of insects, principally large 

 Diptera.'' 1 



The vegetable food of the Sapsucker is varied. The following 

 fruits and berries were found in the stomachs :— 

 Fruit — \ Miscellaneous :— 



Dogwood berries {Cor7tus florida). 



Black alder berries {Ilex verticillata). 



Virginia creeper hemes {Parthenocissus 

 quinquefolia). 



Wild black cherries {Prunus serotina). 



Black berries or raspberries {Rubus). 



Unidentified. 



Poison ivy seeds {Rhus radians). 



Mullein seeds {Verbascum 



thapsus). 

 Juniper berries {Juniperus 



viriginiana). 

 Buds, 



Seeds unidentified. 

 Cambium. 

 Rubbish. 



Bl. NuttiU Ornith. Club., Vol. I,i876,N o . 3, page 69. 



