162 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVII 
deeper holes have larger entrances. It was difficult to measure the diameter of 
the bottom of the nest holes without destroying the nest, and this was not to 
he considered when the hole was occupied, so very little data was secured. 
From the few measurements taken it may he stated that the bottom of the nest 
hole is from four and one-half to six inches in diameter. It is hardly correct 
to use the term diameter, as many of the hole bottoms were not nearly circu- 
lar, one I measured being four inches one way and six the other. This varia- 
tion seemed to be governed by the size of the cactus, as in the smaller plants 
there was not room to excavate a large circular bottom, and it had to be 
stretched one way. How the four young find growing room in some of the 
nests is a puzzle ; I have never been able to fit them back when once removed, 
unless it was done soon after they hatched. 
The Gilded Flickers do not object to using a hole after the entrance is en- 
larged. Two years ago I cut into a hole occupied by a Gila Woodpecker, and 
the following season a Flicker used it. In the same tree at the same time, I 
|cut into a Flicker’s nest, and 
the following year a Spar- 
row Hawk occupied it with 
four eggs. 
While speaking of Gila 
Woodpeckers I mentioned 
catching one at work exca- 
vating a hole in a stump. 
A short time afterwards I 
examined the hole and found 
a Gilded Flicker at home 
there with three tiny young 
and two infertile eggs. She 
bad taken the hole and en- 
larged it sufficiently to ac- 
commodate her family. 
The young when first 
hatched are not very prepos- 
sessing to any one, except 
perhaps the parents. At first 
glance they remind one of 
the pictured restoration of the Plesiosaurus, with their long twisting 
naked necks. The lower mandible was more than an eighth of an 
inch longer than the upper, and on the tip of each was the hard 
white growth used in opening the shell. At this nest the parents 
showed more solicitude than any others I had seen, coming as 
close as four feet from me. In most instances they are rather indiffer- 
ent. even when the young loudly protest at being handled. One nest examined 
contained four nearly grown. When disturbed one of them flew from the nest 
and landed about one hundred yards distant, coming to the ground very awk- 
wardly but flying as well as though he were a graduate from a school of avia- 
tion. Two others then left the nest, but made, only short flights. I caught 
and tried to keep them still enough for a photo, but did not have enough hands 
to hold them still and operate the camera. They made enough noise to attract 
attention but neither parent put in appearance to investigate the disturbance. 
