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 154 THE CONDOR Vol XXI time was spent in watching the birds feed, as they tore and pried off large slabs of dead bark in their search for various grubs and insects. In 1915 we reached Cisco early in June and at first opportunity searched for our birds. A hard climb took us to the top of the dividing ridge and a swift descent, to the shores of the lake. One of the first birds seen was the Pileated WoodlSecker as it flew from a tree standing in deep water to the thick woods across the lake. We passed near this tree and hid in some brush near by to await the appearance of the bird. It shortly returned and made straight for the tree, alighting on the opposite side from that facing us. We watched sev- Fig. 34. WELLS CLIMBINO TO NEST OF NORTHEBN PILEATED WOODPECKER, IN ASPEN, IN NEIGHBORHOOD OF CISCO PLACER COUNT CALIFOBNIA; ENTRANCE TO NEST CAVITY CAN BE SEEN IN THE TREE TBUNK AT EX- TREME TOP OF PICTURE. eral minutes and as the bird did not appear we approached nearer the tree and were chagrined to discover a large hole about twenty feet up, in plain view and on the side of the tree which had first been exposed to us. We clapped our hands and immediately the bird appeared at the hole and flew cackling away. The tree stood about fifteen feet from the shore of the lake and in about five feet of water. At its base the diameter was about eighteen inches, at the nest entrance about ten. The tree was a live aspen. The base was exceedingly slippery and altogether the examination of the nest presented difficulties.