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Show 260 They are among the most silent of the tribe, not only in respect to their notes, but in their manner of procuring food, the most of this being obtained from the crevices of the bark rather than dug out with the noisy hammerings characteristic of many of the family. No other of the tribe is so constant a resident of the conifers as this. It appears to live in them exclusively, and if it ever descends into the lower regions and frequents the deciduous timber it must be only in the depths of winter. No. 488 5 « 0 Sex. 9 ad. d" ad. Locality. Near Mount Whitney, Cal do Date. Sept 19 Oct. 11 Collector. H. " W. Henahaw. Do. 117. Hylotomus pileatus, ( Linn.).- Pileated Woodpecker. Picug pQeatuM, Linnams, Syst. Nat, 1,1766,173. Dryeonus pileatus, Woodh., Sitgreave's Exp. Zufii & Col. Riv., 1854,90 ( Indian Territory, Texas. New Mexico.) Hylotomtupileahu, Bd., B. N. A., 1858,107.- Coop.& Suckl., P. RR. Rep., vol. xtt\ ptii, I860,161.- Coop., B. Cal., i, 1870,396.- Cones, Key N. A B, 1873.192.- Bd., B. f & B., N. A. B., ii, 1874,550.- Nelson, Proo. Boat Soc. Nat. Hist, vol. xvii, 1875, 363 ( California).- Bendire, Proc. Boat Soc. Nat. Hist, vol. xviii, 1875,160 ( Camp Harney, Oregon). This " Log Cock " is found in the Sierras as far south as latitude 37°, where I saw two individuals in October. It is not unlikely that the heavily- timbered districts may give this bird shelter throughout the extent of the Sierras. It was found near Nevada City by Mr. Nelson, but is more numerous farther north, becoming abundant, according to Dr. Cooper, near the Columbia. 118. Melanerpes torquatus, ( Wils.).- Lewis's Woodpecker. I did not see this species till reaching Fort Tejon, in August. It was here, and at other places in the Sierras, common in certain localities. In summer, it seems to prefer the pineries of the mountaius, but in fall descends, and then inhabits the oak- groves in common with the next species, without, however, mingling with them. In habits, the species is somewhat anomalous among its relatives. Like the Cali-fornian, it is rarely found alone, but associates in bands of many individuals, the gathering taking place as soon as the young are well on the wing. In the late fall, these companies appear to be pretty nearly stationary, not roving over the country at large, but remaining in some favorable spot where food is plenty. Here they may always be found either at play, chasing each other in and out the branches, or industriously hunting for insects. These are obtained with the expenditure of very little labor in digging, as they prefer to take them from the accessible crevices in the bark or even to capture them on the wing. Berries, too, when they can be had, form a part of their varied diet. Their peculiar manner of circling about the tree- tops in wavering circles is well known, and is one of the most noticeable characteristics of its appearance. They are endowed by nature with a shy, suspicions disposition, and always regard the appearance of man with distrust. No. 374 418 419 717 Sex. d jun. cTJnn. d ad-d ad. Fort Teion, Cal Walkers Basin, Cal... do do Locality. Bate. Aug. 17 Ang. 87 Aug. 527 Nov. 11 Collector. H. " W. Henahaw. Do. Do. Do. lip. Melanerpes formicivorus, ( Swains.).- Californian Woodpecker. The habitat of this Woodpecker, in California as in Arizona, seems to be determined by the range of the oaks; the presence or absence of these trees, their abundance or scarcity, affording a pretty sure index of the numbers of this bird. In California, they are certainly the* most abundant of the tribe, as they also are in Arizona in the sections they inhabit. The social instinct is developed in them to a degree equaled in no other species, and they are almost never found other than in large communities, while as often as otherwise they take up their residence in the oaks that overspread the farmers1 dwelling. Their most curious trait is seen in their habit, shared by no other Woodpecker, of storing up a supply of acorns in holes drilled for that purpose in the trunks of trees, a custom which seems to admit of no adequate explanation. They were most industriously at this work at Fort Tejon the last of August, and during the day this seemed to keep them busy pretty nearly all the time. Judging from their cries and earnest man- |