The only other prominent bird on this 
autumn day was that bird of many names, — 
the “flicker.” A local name used on Cape 
Ann is, I think, new in print, viz, “Yellow 
Wing.” 
The Flicker, when seen at all, is always con- 
spicuous, but on this day he was more plenti- 
ful than usual, and twice during my walk I 
noticed signs of that habit common with its 
Californian variety, but newly (?) acquired by 
the eastern Flicker, of boring into buildings. 
One example was in the side of a barn, and I 
was fortunate enough to see the occupant en- 
tering just at sunset, probably to spend the 
night. The other hole was similarly situated ! 
in an old corn house. On another occasion 
during a bright morning late in November I saw 
one of these birds in the act of leaving a hole 
likewise in a barn, and I know of an ice house 
which is literally full of holes made by these 
birds in order to reach the sawdust, into which 
they burrow for their winter quarters. Two 
| other instances which have come to my atten- 
| tion are worth notice; one of a Woodpecker 
j which had taken up his abode in a hole which 
| he made under the eaves of a dwelling, where 
j he spent several winters. And the other, told 
me by a friend and frequent contributer to this 
magazine, of a Flicker which nested several 
years in a crevice of an unused chimney in his 
grandfather’s house. As I came suddenly into 
a clearing among a growth of thick bushes and 
trees, I started a Flicker which was climbing 
the vertical trunk of a tree, like any other 
Woodpecker, a position comparatively rare for 
auratus to assume, for he is most fond of feed- 
ing on the ground. y 
//. (J. Utflh . 
ID ±(9. TTV- (DcT. /gfr?- A - /^“7. 
\V inter Birds in South-eastern Mass. 
Harry G. White 
1. The Flicker. This bird is ordinarily con- 
sidercd to be a regular winter resident in this 
part of the state, and the notes here given are 
only designed to show the actual status of the £ 
species at this season. This, and indeed each HOLOGIST 
of the following species of land-birds, seems: 
[Vol. 17-No. 6 
to bo rather more numerous in the Cape Cod , g ; 
district, (Flymouth and Barnstable counties), )( j ' 
than at more inland points, possibly on j 
account of the diminishing amount of snow, ,y 
and the somewhat higher mean temperature a | 
in the immediate vicinity of the coast. At .,j 
all events, the Flicker is a comparatively (e 
abundant bird in such localities, and the ratio ,n 
of its increase seems to be more pronounced \ 
as wo pass from west to oast. The data shows u _ 
tli at there wore fifty-three Flickers seen at , n 
three stations during the month of December, ls 
namely, at Taunton, eight birds on four days; in 
at Wood’s IIoll, seven birds on six days; and at , n 
Highland Light, thirty-seven birds on twenty- 
one days. , e 
The entire number of Flickers observed at IC 
the various stations in January amounted to 
ton and Wood’s IIoll, the difference is grater, 
being as 1: 5, while at Nauslion and Highland 
Light, it is only as 1 : 2. 1 am, however, of 
the opinion that the effects of the migrational 
tide, so to speak, are very much more pro- 
nounced in the vicinity of Taunton, than in the 
counties to the eastward of that place, and 
therefore the excess over the number of actual 
summer residents or breeding birds, is not in 
the same ratio at all points, being greatest to 
the west and diminishing in an easterly 
direction. 
0.&O.Vol.l7, June, 1892 p. 81-82 
seventy-nine, viz., at Taunton, thirty-three 1- 
birds, on nine days ; at Nauslion, thirteen e 
birds, on seven days; at Wood’s IIoll, eight it 
birds on as many days, and at Highland Light, :s 
twonty-five birds on eleven days. y 
Observations for February were not received a 
from Taunton, but were continued as usual at 3 
the other stations. The aggregate number for ■. 
the month was forty-three birds. At Nauslion 
there were seven birds on four days; at Wood’s 1 
IIoll, observations wore conducted on each of b 
the twenty-eight days, but no Flickers were j> j 
seen; at Highland Light, thirty-six birds were t 
recorded on eleven days. 
It is, of course, probable, that in most cases s j 
the same bird was seen on each recurring s 
observation, and was thus counted over several e | 
times. Still, the mere fact of its presence at I 
j the same spot on successive days, may be 3 [; 
1 regarded as demonstrating permanency or res- y \ 
idonce, for, as Mr. Stone once said, “greats 
variation in numbers from day to day, and I t| 
will add, from time to time, denotes activity, J ! 
(migration), while comparatively unchanging 3 ? 
numbers denote rest, (non-migration).” e 
The mean or average numbers of Pigeon - 
Woodpeckers, as deducted from the monthly s 
i sums, are seventeen for December, nineteen for 
January and eleven for February. Assuming 
' that these moans represent the ideal number 
of Flickers to bo met with at any locality with • 
ordinarily favorable surroundings during the 
respective months for which they stand, it may 
be considered in localities where the actual f 
number of Yellow Hammers is above the |- 
average of the several stations, to denote more - 
than ordinary favorable conditions for their e 
existence; either on account of a greater food s 
supply, unusual protections from the extremes J- 
! of weather, or from their various natural 
enemies; but if the actual numbers of the birds 
I present do not come up to the average, then 
the conditions of environment might be con- 
sidered unfavorable. In the immediate vicin- 
