464 LAND BIRDS 



occurrence with his Eastern cousin, the yellow-bellied 

 sapsucker, who sometimes becomes so intoxicated on the 

 sap of the mountain ash that he will allow himself to be 

 picked up* by the hand of a quiet observer. But the 

 Red-breasted is more cautious, and knew instinctively 

 just when my glasses were turned toward him or when 

 I moved hand or foot. I say " instinctively," for often- 

 times I knew he was behind the trunk where he could 

 not see me, and yet the most noiseless movement brought 

 him inquisitively into view. So long as he was on guard 

 the female worked without fear, but when he left on a 

 foraging expedition, she usually became restless and 

 shortly afterwards flew away also. 



Incubation began May 30, and lasted fifteen days. 

 The young were fed by regurgitation for the first two 

 weeks. As in the case of most other woodpeckers ex- 

 cept the flicker, I know this by closely watching the 

 adults as they come to the nest. As soon as the iottle 

 period is over, the food can be seen in their bills. After 

 the first week, some few species, like the flicker, feed by 

 regurgitation, from the doorway, in full view of the world. 



The young Sapsuckers left the nest on tiie seventh of 

 July, and clung to the nest tree for three days. Here they 

 were initiated by both parents into the mysteries of sap- 

 sucking. A hole having been bored in front of each, with 

 grotesque earnestness the mother watched the attempt 

 to drink the sweet syrup. During this time both insects 

 and berries were brought to them by the adults, in one 

 hour one youngster devouring twelve insects that looked 

 like dragonflies. 



