162 THE CONDOR Vol. XVII deeper holes have larger entrances. It was difficult to measure the diameter of the bottom of the nest holes without destroying the nest, and this was not to be considered when the hole was occupied, so very little data was secured. From the few measurements taken it may be stated that the bottom of the nest hole is from four and one-half to six inches in diameter. It is hardly correct to use the term diameter, as many of the hole bottoms were not nearly circu- lar, one I measured being four inches one way and six the other. This varia- tion seemed to be governed by the size of the cactus, as in the smaller plants there was not room to excavate a large circular bottom, and it had to be stretched one way. How the four young find growing room in some of the nests is a puzzle; I have never been able to fit them back when once-removed, unless it was done soon after they hatched. The Gilded Flickers do not object to using a hole after the entrance is en- larged. Two years ago I cut into a hole occupied by a Gila Woodpecker, and the following season a Flicker used it. In the same tree at the same time, ] lout into a Flicker's nest, and the following year a Spar- _'?.- row Hawk occupied it with -, four eggs. While speaking of Gila Woodpeckers I mentioned ? catching one at work exca- vating a hole in a stump. A short time afterwards ] examined the hole and found a Gilded Flicker at home ? there with three tiny young and two infertile eggs. She
had taken the hole and en- ? ? ? ?. -?- larged it sufficiently to ac-
? - .? '?&? ?. d' ? commodate her family. The young when first Fig. 60. NEST AI?D SET or FOUR EGGS or GILDEl) hatched are not very prepos- FLICKER IN ?AOUARO. A PORTION OF THE Ressing to any one, except TRUNK HAS BEEN CUT AWAY, EXPOSING THE perhaps the parents. At first NEST CAVITY. glance they remind one of the pictured restoration of the Plesiosaurus, with their long twisting naked necks. The lower mandible was more than an eighth of an inch longer than the upper, and on the tip of each was the hard white growth used in opening the shell. At this nest the parents showed more' solicitude than any others I had seen, coming as close as four feet from me. In most instances they are rather indiffer- ent, even when the young loudly protest at being handled. One nest examined contained four nearly grown. When disturbed one of them flew from the nest and landed about one hundred yards distant, coming to the ground very awk- wardly but flying as well as though he were a graduate from a school of avia- tion. Two others then left the nest, but made only short flights. I caught and tried to keep them still enough for a photo, but did not have enough hands to hold them still and operate the camera. They made enough noise to attract attention but neither parent put in appearance to investigate the disturbance.
