THE NORTHERN HAIEY WOODPEGKBE, 51 



Its general habits, food, mode of incubation, etc., are probably the same as 

 those of Dryobates villosus. There are no positively identified eggs of this race 

 in the collection; bnt they undoubtedly resemble those of the preceding species, 

 averaging probably a trifle larger. 



i8. Dryobates villosus audubonii (Swainson). 



SOUTHERN HAIRY WOODPECKER. 



Picus audubonii SWAiNSON and Eichardson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 306. 

 Dryobates villosus audubonii Eidgway, Proceedings TJ. S. National Museum, VIII, 1885, 355. 

 (B 74, part; 298, part; E 360, part; 438, part; TJ 3936.) 



Geographical range: South Atlantic and Gulf States; north to North Carolina, 

 southern Tennessee, etc. ; west to Louisiana and southeastern Texas. ( ?) Casual in the 

 Bahamas. 



The breeding range of the Southern Hairy Woodpecker, a somewhat 

 smaller race than Dryobates villosus, is likewise coextensive with its geographical 

 distribution, it generally being resident wherever found. It reaches the northern 

 limits of its range in North Carolina. The Brimley Brothers write me that it 

 occurs in the vicinity of Raleigh, where it is rather rare, and nests quite early, 

 as young birds were found nearly fully fledged on May 25, 1891. Mr. William 

 Brewster also met with it in the lowlands in Franklin County, North Carolina, 

 and up to an elevation of 4,000 feet at Highlands, in Macon County, while Dr. W. 

 H. Fox reports seeing a few each year in Roane County, Tennessee ; specimens 

 sent by him have been identified at the United States National Museum as 

 referable to this subspecies. The late Mr. C. W. Beckham met with it at Bayou 

 Sara, Louisiana, and Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny found it nesting on May 12, 1892, in a 

 cavity of a pin oak, 21 feet from the ground, in New Iberia Parish, Louisiana. 

 Here it frequents the oak timber on high land, and is said to be rare. Although 

 not yet reported from southeastern Texas, its range probably extends into this 

 State also. The late Dr. W. C. Avery found it breeding in Alabama, where it is 

 not uncommon, and Dr. William L. Ralph has taken three sets of eggs in Put- 

 nam County, Florida, which are now in the collection of the United States 

 National Museum. Nidification commenced early in April, and several sets of 

 eggs found by him during the last week in this month were well advanced 

 in incubation. The cavities were in all cases excavated in cypress trees grow- 

 ing on the edge of swamps, and located from 28 to 45 feet from the ground. 

 The number of eggs to a set were three or four, the first number being the 

 more common. 



The general habits, food, etc., of the Southern Hairy Woodpecker are sim- 

 ilar to those of Dryobates villosus, but this subspecies seems to be more fond of 

 fruit and berries, and the young are fed largely on figs. The eggs are scarcely 

 distinguishable from those of the Hairy, excepting that they are a trifle narrower, 

 and all are elliptical ovate in shape. 



