, ,4 £>— ^L — ^ f_,-/.- J —^-‘ — iP 
' ' JY a-v. £/ * 
^ >r ■-> V.’ 
An unusual Influx of the Three-toed Woodpeckers ( Picoides 
arcticus and P . americanus) into Eastern Massachusetts. I am 
indebted to Mr. George O. Welch for the following interesting notes. 
Some time in the summer of ib6o a fire swept through a piece of heavy 
white pine timber in Lynn, killing most of the trees. In the natuial 
course of events the charred trunks became infested with wood-borers, 
and during the following winter (i 860-61) the place was a favorite resort 
of various kinds of Woodpeckers. In what manner the news of the 
feast was advertised in the remote forests of the North is not explained, 
but certain it is that with the first cold weather both species of Picoides 
appeared on the scene. Of P. americanus only three specimens were 
actually taken, a female by Mr. Welch, and a fine pair by Mr. N. Vickary. 
P. arcticus , however, was actually abundant, and remained through the 
entire winter. Mr. Welch often saw as many as six or eight during a 
single visit to these woods, and numerous specimens were killed and 
preserved. Most of the individuals seen were females, the yellow-crowned 
males being comparatively rare. Since 1861 only two Three-toed Wood- 
peckers (both P. arcticus) are known to have been taken in Lynn. 
There is nothing novel in the fact of these Woodpeckers assembling 
in numbers in a tract of recently-burned timber ; indeed Picoides arcticus 
is rather notorious for this habit. But how the knowledge of such an 
attraction could have been conveyed so far as it must have been in the 
present instance is little short of marvellous. We commend the problem 
to the attention of those ornithologists who refuse to believe that there 
is anything “mysterious” in the periodical movements of certain migra- 
tory birds. — William Brewster, Cambridge , Mass. 
Bna N, 0. a. 8, A»U. 1383, p. / 2. 3. . 
Recent Occurrence of the Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker in 
Massachusetts. — Mr. E. H. Richards of Woburn, Mass., writes me that 
two specimens of Picoides arcticus have been taken in that town the past 
autumn. The first was shot Oct. 16. the other two days later. Both were 
adult males. A third example was also seen Oct. 21, in Holbrook, Mass. 
— William Brewster. Cambridge, Mass. Auk, I, Jan», 1884. P* 
fJ. 
The Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker in Massachu- 
setts. — As we have so few records of the occurrence of Picoides arc- 
ticus so far south, an additional capture may be of interest. Mr. Charles 
X. Hammond has informed me of a male specimen in the collection of Mr. 
George Peck, who collected it at Hyde Park, Mass., the last of September, 
1878. Other specimens recorded have been taken much later in the sea- ^ 
son. — Ruthven Deane, Cambrid$pffl«s$f ■ O. C. 5, Jan., 1880, P» 
The Three-toed Woodpecker ( Picoides articus) in Massachusetts. 
— Records of the occurrence of the Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker 
in Massachusetts have multiplied so slowly that the following additional 
one may be considered of interest: An adult male shot Dec. 17, 1880, at 
Plymouth, Massachusetts. I saw the specimen at Goodale’s when it was 
being mounted for Mr. John A. Joyce, the person by whom it was killed. 
William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass. 
Bull N. 0.0. 3, July, 1881. p. / frj, . 
7 / 
