1980 Walter D. Koenig Melanerpes fomiceivorus Plague (30 May) constant following of 9494 on 25-27 May. 8521 has been around but did not enter the hole at all during egg-laying (as far as I know) and has even been wandering by himself down at 4. On the ♀ side, the situation is extremely interesting. We know, from Ron's observations, that 9494 is dominant to 9496. Both definitely contributed eggs to the final nest; 9 eggs (8 normal + 1 runt) were laid in all, 2 were tossed (both by 9494), 7 ended up in the nest. 9496 had a minimum of 2 eggs which ended up in the final set of 7, but could have had as many as 4. 9494 laid at least 3, and may have 5. The most likely skew 4 of 9494 to 3 of 9496, with 2 additional eggs tossed. (See back for chronology). The ♀♀ were very attentive to the moves of each other right at the start, as one would expect if they were being wary of the possibility of the other tossing their eggs. This close association broke down almost immediately after 24 May, when the first 2 eggs not to be tossed were laid. The precise events surrounding the 23 May egg-tossing are unfortunately ambiguous. The possibilities that I can think of off hand are as follows: ① 9496 laid both the eggs, a phenomenon made possible by the fact that one was a runt and thus came out along with the normal egg (runts often do not have yolks, a fact which might render this a possibility). 9494 did not lay until 24 May; thus she tossed both of 9496's eggs