Howell, T.R. 1950 S. varius ssp. 29 mi. SW of Princeton, ft., B.C. May 11 (cont'd) top of a dead fir, and I could tell little about its color. The yelper was close enough though, so I could see it was nuchalis. It flew over towards the other, and both flew out of sight into the woods. At 5:40, tattooing began over in the area where I saw 2 pairs of nuchalis yesterday. The sapsuckers were quiet until 6:00, when more yelps and tattoos were heard. A ruber came out of the woods into the area of dead trees. It screamed and flew over to a dead stub near me, and a typical nuchalis followed and alighted next to the ruber. There may have been soft squawks; the ruber reached over and gave the nuchalis a very gentle peck on the neck. Then the r. glided off with a rattle. There was no show of aggression, but I cannot be sure of the sexes. The n. remained until 6:20 in almost the same spot, preening and picking at the bark. I glanced away for a second, and it was out of sight, either back of the tree from me or gone. I heard yelps in the near distance. Others began to yelp and tattoo about 6:15. there seems to be a 15-20 min. period between bursts of noise-making. 6:30 - A- yelps from close by; r. appears at the dead tree, n. still there; r. glides off with a rattle. N. hitches around, looks in a couple of holes about 20 ft. up. A Flicker alights on the tree above n., who takes notice but no action. The Flicker (8)