1976 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes formicivorus Chongo Hastings Reservation (5 June) came across the intact carcass of, sadly enough, bird #1, ♀ L. Blue-Red/Yellow, lying on the ground below 2 Blue Oaks well up the side of the hill going toward the hole I'd found earlier this morning. The body smelled rather strong, and had clearly been here for 2-3 days, but was intact with no obviously mortal damage anywhere. I did mark the spot with a pile of limbs and took the body for analysis and autopsy. I walked up the tree with the hole, which is about 90m E (upslope) from where the bird was found. There are actually 2 holes in the tree, both of which look relatively fresh and quite habitable. Nobody was seen or heard inside them. Below I could find one AW feather and some bird droppings, but no eggshells or other definitive sign of nesting. Upon closer examination, it was clear that the ♀ did have a rather deep gash in her right breast, enough to explain her death but not exactly why she wasn't eaten (unless she escaped and died of the injury later on). John Davis examined her briefly and decided that she did not have a brood patch, a decision I agree with given the numerous feathers in the area and the lack of any obvious thickening in the breast area. I put her up a few days later. Unfortunately most of the insides had been eaten and not much could be figured out concerning her reproductive status. 14 June 845-915. Watched the tree with the holes over on Buckeye Hill, where up to 3 birds were seen and I was consistently hawking.