268 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



400. ABCTIC THREE-TOED WOODFECEEB. Picoides arcUcus (Swains.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Northern North America, from the Arctic regions south to the North- 

 ern United States (New England, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Idaho), and 

 in the Sierra Nevadas to Lake Tahoe. 



The Black-hacked Three-toed Woodpecker has an extended distribution from 

 the Pacific to the Atlantic, and from the northern border of the United States north- 

 ward to the Arctic regions. Its favorite haunts are the pine woods of mountain- 

 ous country. In some portions of Northern New England it is a rare summer resi- 

 dent. Audubon says that it occurs in Northern Massachusetts and in all portions of 

 Maine covered by tall trees, where it resides. It is found as far south as Northern 

 New York, where Dr. Bachman was of the opinion that it nested. Dr. Merriam 

 states that this bird is not an uncommon resident in those portions of Lewis county, 

 New York, which pertain to the Canadian fauna; for they are found both in the 

 Adirondack region and in the coniferous forests bordering Big Alder and Fish 

 Creeks, in the Tug Hill range. Dr. J. C. Cooper found this Woodpecker quite numer- 

 ous in September, in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe and the summits of the Sierra 

 Nevada, above an altitude of 6,000 feet. Dr. Merrill mentions it as a rather com- 

 mon resident in the vicinity of Forth Klamath, Oregon; in summer more com- 

 mon in the mountains. Several nests were found early in July, but with young, 

 fledged. The excavations were in dead young pines, not more than five or six feet 

 from the ground, in this respect differing from those of the other Woodpeckers 

 found there, all of which, so far as he had observed, make their holes at a greater 

 height. The eggs range from four to six in number, pure ivory-white; average size, 

 .95X.71. 



401. AMEBICAIT THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Picoides americanus 

 Brehm. Geog. Dist. — Northern North America east of the Rocky Mountains, south 

 in winter to the Northern United States (Maine, Massachusetts, New York). 



The Banded or Ladder-backed Three-toed Woodpecker is found in the spruce 

 and fir regions of Northern North America. It is often found associated with the 

 last species, P. arcUcus, whose characteristics are similar, and whose nesting is 

 identical. Dr. C. Hart Merriam met with a pair of these birds nesting in Northern 

 New York, June 4, 1878. The cavity, which contained four nearly fresh eggs, was in 

 a spruce tree about eight feet from the ground; the entrance of the hole was an 

 inch and a half in diameter, and the cavity ten inches deep. The eggs are described 

 as cream-white, and of a texture like those of other Woodpeckers; they are strongly 

 ovate in outline, and measure respectively, 23.8x17.2, 23.6x17.8, 23x17.9, 23x17.8 

 millimeters.* 



401o. ALASKAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Picoides americanns alas- 



eensis (Nels.) Ceog. Dist. — Alaska, south to Northern Washington. 



Nothing has been published regarding this bird's nesting and eggs, but more 

 than likely they do not differ from those of the preceding species. 



4016. ALPINE THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. Picoides americanus dorsalis 

 Baird. Geog. Dist. — Rocky Mountain region, from British Columbia and Idaho 

 south into New Mexico. 



The nesting habits, eggs and general characteristics, of this race inhabiting the 

 Rocky Mountain region are the same as those of Picoides americanus. 



* .94X.68, .93X.70, .Mx.Tl, .91x.70. Bull. Nutt. Club, III, 200. 



