Notes on Nesting-sites of the Golden-winged Woodpecker. 
— About May 1 of this year I noticed some Golden-wings ( Colaptes aura- 
tus) very busy around the shed of an old brick-kiln, although there were 
no trees near. On visiting it I found they had enlarged two auger-holes 
in a large, decayed spruce post, and were trying to nest there; but so many 
people cross the yard every day, they will probably be driven away. I 
have frequently noticed what a correspondent mentions in a late number of 
' the Bulletin (Vol. V, p. 56) regarding Golden-wings enlarging natural 
cavities. I have seen them dig two inches through the hard shell of a 
seasoned ash stub to get to a hollow which showed through a crack, the 
existence of which they must have perceived; they apparently bored 
through to it to save the labor of making the whole excavation in solid 
wood. — M anly Habdy, Brewer, Ate. Bull. N.O.Q* 5, Oct,, I880,p. ZHf 
On the first of June, 1882, while passing an old orchard, 
I sa w a hole in an apple tree. As I drew near it, a bill stuck 
out, then out went an old Yellow-shafted Flicke r. ( Colaptes 
auratus,) into a neighboring tree. I was not long getting 
up to the hole, but when I got there I had to whittle away 
with my jackknife until I could reach the bottom, where I 
found six eggs. I took them ; in about a week I passed the 
orchard again, and, seeing the bird fly out of the hole, I got 
up to it, and found six more. Then, just for the curiosity 
of knowing how many eggs she would lay, I continued to 
visit the nest. At last, I suppose she thought I was a little 
selfish, and so gave up the nest, leaving me with twenty- 
seven eggs. 
H . /row*,, J/v&v 
O.&O. IX. Mar. 1884. p. 3C. 
May 20—1 found a remarkably low nest of the Yellow- 
shafted Flicker, [Colaptes auratus), in a maple stump. The 
! hokTwasTess than three feet from the ground and the 
| bottom of the nest measured one foot eleven inches from 
the entrance. It contained tef! eggs. 
/{/C-CoH • 
O.&o. IX. Dec. 1884. p./# 
Continued Laying of the Flicker. May 6, ’SB, I dis- 
covered in a hole two eggs of the Golden-winged Wood- 
pecker. I took one, leaving the other as a nest egg, and 
continued to do so day after day, until she had laid seven- 
ty-one eggs. The bird rested one day when she had laid 
thirty-six eggs, and another when she had laid fifty-three 
eggs, thus taking her seventy-three days to lay the seventy- 
one eggs. I have the whole set in my collection. Has any 
one ever heard of as large a number of eggs being taken 
from one bird ? 
(p.+fr 
CjUn. L 
Egg-laying extraordinary in Colaptes auratus.-On May 6th. 1883, I 
one eggs. I think this is something' veiy from one bird, but this 
heard of from fiiteen to wen y g complete, in my cabinet, 
is a large number comparatively. I have tne 1 
and prize it very highly. ‘Young Oologist’, Vol. 
Thi. ... pMM l» * “•".Ci'tl.p.r i. «• 
I, No. 2, 1884; but it being ara f or publication. — /• 
general public, I concluded to send it 1887. »• <5 1 ** 
Charles L. Phillips, Taunton, Mass. AHA, 1 
set of four Y ellow-shafted Flick er, all 
spotted with dull red ; /O fj. Ot&a&roly,. 
O.&o. V1U. Dec. 1883. p. t<> 
Pfeld ae of Michigan 
Stewart E, White 
9. Golden-winged Woodpecker ( Colaptes 
auratus). As is well attested by tlie variety of 
names they bear, these share with the Red- 
heads the honor of being the best known. 
They are abundant and well distributed, and 
in some portions are residents during mild 
winters. In that season they go in bands of 
ten or a dozen foraging the country in all di- 
rections for enough food to keep them alive. 
As spring approaches their numbers increase, 
until by the first of May they are to he met with 
at every turn. As the season of nesting draws 
near the antics of the amorous males take a 
very amusing turn. See yonder coy maiden 
perched near, the top of an old dead stub. 
Two gallants, the rivals for her affections, are 
earnestly striving to gain her attention ; each 
flies around and around the object of his de- 
votion screaming “to whit, to whit, to whit, 
to whit, to whit, to !! ” Suddenly one alights on 
the trunk below the fair lady, hopping rapidly 
up and down, quirking his head comically 
from side to side. The other, jealous at the 
first’s success, dashes at him with great fury, 
drives him from his vantage and takes up the 
position himself. So the affair goes on until, 
after many fierce battles, the female signifies 
tier preference, and in company with the 
successful swain, sets up housekeeping. She is 
very fastidious in the choice of a location and 
during its selection leads her poor husband a 
pretty life. After digging in here a few inches 
she informs him that the wood is too soft; 
there it is too hard; on this side the situation 
is too exposed, on the other it is unhandy. At 
last she settles on one spot and both set to 
work. For a week the chips fly in all direc- 
tions, and at the end of that lime the labors of 
incubation commence. It is well known that 
although madam is very particular in her first 
choice of a site, yet after once deciding she is 
very loth to leave it, suffering repeated rob- 
beries without complaint. I11 due time the 
young Flickers emerge from the shells and at 
a very early age leave the hole, perching 
around on the branches until able to fly. 
The Iligh-hole’s flight is easy and graceful 
and has an elastic freedom that is delightful 
to behold. They procure their food in the 
usual manner by hopping up the trunks of 
trees, besides which they often search on the 
ground and are sometimes in the fruit trees. 
Their well-known cries consist of a single 
harsh screech and a double cry, “to whit, to 
whit,” sounding like repeated bursts of harsh 
laughter. 
Ou Mackinac Island they go by tlie name of 
“Pink Throat” and are shot for food. This 
species is often seized by Hawks, some of 
which, especially the Sharp-shinned, become 
quite expert in the capture., 
Stewart E. White. 
Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mieh. 
1 17 
