Snhyrapicus var ius . 
Upper Megalloway River, Maine. 
1898. Sapsuckers had dug some wells in the trunk of a rather 
Sept.18, large yellow birch that stands in front of the camp and at 
least two birds (both young) hung about the place at all hours 
of the day resorting frequently to the sap well to drink. 
Twice they met there and on each occasion a surprisingly pro¬ 
longed and bitter combat ensued. There was no preliminary 
dodging but the moment the two birds came together they clinch¬ 
ed and went fluttering down to the ground where they rolled 
over and over for two or three minutes. Once they separated 
of their own accord but the other time one of the guides 
walked to the spot and kicked at them just missing them. I 
could not make out that either bird received any serious in¬ 
jury nor could I see that they pecked or struck at one another. 
It was simply a bull-dog-like grip from beginning to end. 
