222 
THE WILSON BULLETIN— December, 1922 
in tlie neighborhood had been the means of practically extermi- 
nating them. There was not a pair left to nest there this season. 
The boys of the comniiinity had dilligently sought out every 
opportunity to break up every nest, and it is not likely that 
they will attempt to regain footing in this region again. 
It should not be understood however that the species is de- 
creasing in Arkansas. 
PiLEATED WoonrECKER {PJilceotonius pileatus inleatus) 
Whenever this species is reported as becoming rare let the 
reported reporter visit Arkansas. The writer will be glad to 
show even the man from Missouri. In nearly every heavily 
timbered section of Arkansas this magnificent species is to be 
found, and it is not nearly as difficult to observe as the snposedly 
commoner Hairy Woodpecker. The nesting sites of this species 
are not so difficult to find, but the birds are gifted in the selection 
of situations which are ideally inaccessible. For the most part 
this is a huge “ snag ” or deadened tree, which cannot be climbed, 
and which will likely fall before the summer is over. 
8ix nests have been visited this year (1922) from all of which 
sets have been collected. One of them contained three eggs, 
three of them four eggs, and one of them five eggs. In last 
season’s takes there was also a clutch of five. These have been 
collected from Yell, Pope, Sebastian, and Faulkner Counties. 
This bird, often designated by the natives as the Indian 
Hen,” is now seldom shot for its plumage, and it lias learned 
to be wary of the man with a gun. We have heard the name 
Wood-chuck ” applied to it, and even more frequently, both in 
Alabama and Arkansas, the title, Lord God.” It is a mighty 
excavator,” the entrance to most nests is not only large, but 
the cavity beneath is deep and very ample. 
Ked-headed Woodpecker (Melcmerpes erytlvroceplialus) 
This species, as might be expected, is distributed over the 
entire state. We have found it abundant in almost every county 
visited, there being apparently one exception. But while former- 
ly common in Pope County and in all the lower foothills along 
the mountain streams it does not now seem able to maintain 
itself in these situations. Not a single bird was observed in a 
wide belt of country lying north of the Arkansas River and 
extending through the interior of Pope and adjacent comities. Is 
the Red-headed Woodpecker becoming a town bird? His favorite 
