222 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



tain, as the nesting cavities were often situated in the heart of large 

 hard-wood trees, and not very accessible. From four to six highly 

 polished white eggs are laid. Mr. Sennett took the first set of eggs 

 April 17, and a clutch of five fresh ones was taken May ist. A set of 

 three eggs is in Mr. Norris' cabinet which was taken in Comal county. 

 Texas, April 21, 1885; they measure i.oox.73, 1.04X.75, and 1.03X.75, 

 A set of five eggs in my collection, taken near the town of Camargo, 

 Mexico, June 16, 1888, exhibit the following sizes: .94X.75, i.oox.76, 

 .98X.73, 1.04X.74, 1.02 X. 74. The nest-cavity was in a broken stub of 

 a mesquite tree, about twelve feet from the ground. 



411. Melanerpes uropygialis (Baird). [374.] 



Gila 'Woodpecker. 



Hab. Southern Arizona, Southeastern portion of California, Lower California and Western Mexico. 



This species was first discovered by Dr. Kennerly in his route 

 along the 35th parallel, and described by Professor Baird in 1854. Dr. 

 Hermann found it abundant along the Gila River among the mesquite 

 trees and giant cactus. He met with it in California in considerable 

 numbers on the banks of the Colorado. Mr. G. Frean Morcom, in his 

 valuable paper on the birds of Southern California and Southwestern 

 Arizona,* notes this as one of the species found by Mr. F. Stephens at 

 Yuma, Arizona, where it was not common. A nest was found May 4, 

 excavated in a growing willow on the edge of a slough. It contained 

 three eggs, incubation commenced. In the region about Tucson, Ari- 

 zona, Mr. W. E. D. Scott states that it is a common resident, especially in 

 the giant cactus regions, occurring in numbers up to an altitude of 4,500 

 feet. Though breeding in mesquite and cottonwood trees, they show 

 a great preference for groves of giant cactus, which afford nesting places 

 for thousands of pairs about Tucson, Florence, and Riverside. Near 

 Tucson, Mr. Scott took fresh eggs, three to five in number, from May 

 15 until the last of the month. The birds do not always excavate 

 new nesting holes in the giant cactus, but more frequently take advant- 

 age of former excavations. The birds are very fond of the fruit of the 

 giant and other cacti. The eggs are smooth, glossy white,' and measure 

 .99X.72. 



412. Colaptes auratus (Linn.) [378.] 



Flicker. 



Hab. Eastern North America, west to the Great Plains, north to Hudson Bay and Alaska. 



This is the Golden-winged Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker, 

 Pigeon Woodpecker, High-holder, Wake-up and Yellow-hammer of 

 Eastern North America. Every country boy has a name for it. The 



<• Bulletin No. 2. The Ridgway Ornithological Club. 



