Picoides arcticus. Lake Umbagog, Me. Sept. & Oct. 1893. 1893 Oct. 6 a fin' d at work on the trunk of a fallen & partially decayed spruce when he spent upwards of an hour. He would first try off a scale of bark showing his fine bill a lever and then turn his tongue into the trunk doubtless into holes made by wood borers, if he found a grub he would then proceed to dig it out working very steadily but without apparent haste or eagerness. Usually however several scales of bark were removed before a successful shot was found. While at work the bird made no sound save by his energetic bill thokos but whenever I approached nearer than 15 or 20 yards he would cease hammering, erect his crest and utter the usual many times in succession sometimes alternating with this a low jerking chatter (ch.ch.ch.ch.ch). If too closely pressed he would fly to an overt branch and check up among the branches keeping on the back side of the trunk and hurrying around at me. This species is to my mind the most beautiful of our woodpeckers, my yellow crown contrasts most strikingly with the white & black. Bethel, Maine. 1904. March 6 7 8 19 / head over ten times, March 6 Saw Wood Peack, West fork, about 1/2 mile from Dr. G.'s, feeding vigorously & noisily at trunk of spruce, dying (but not dead) balsam. Worked ten minutes or more at one spot, finally deserted & watched us for several minutes keeping perfectly motionless like a sapsucker 'hick'. At length I hammered at base of stem. Bird flew to empty tree following then to another - like scuttle. A woman came at fork of one of lights through the woods. There was chiefly y' bark & trunk with a few scattered balsams & other notes. " 7.4 In balsam works near Dr. G.'s, feeding at bottom stem (low tree, apparently / four years up & than to call close, at length gone calling high above like notable on map. Also black crossbars on central branch of title better & celled life, like etc. especially & commonly. Sounded repeated by one person of daughter. 29