568 ZYGODACTYLI. 



met with this species in the interior of Hudson's bay, near 

 Albany river, in the month of January. It is however, 

 sufficiently singular, and shows perhaps the wild timidity 

 of this northern chief of his tribe, that, though an inhabi- 

 tant towards the savage and desolate sources of the Mis- 

 sissippi, he is unknown, at this time, in all the maritime 

 parts of the populous and long settled state of Massachu- 

 setts. In the western parts of the state of New York he 

 is sufficiently common in the uncleared forests, which 

 have been the perpetual residence of his remotest ances- 

 try. From the tall trees, which cast their giant arms over 

 all the uncleared river lands, may often be heard his 

 loud, echoing, and incessant cackle, as he flies restlessly 

 from tree to tree, presaging the approach of rainy weath- 

 er. These notes resemble eherek rek rek I'ek rek rek rek, 

 uttered in a loud cadence, which gradually rises and 

 falls. The marks of his industry are also abundant- 

 ly visible on the decaying trees, which he probes and 

 chisels with great dexterity, stripping off wide flakes of 

 loosened bark, to come at the burrowing insects which 

 chiefly compose his food. In whatever engaged, haste 

 and wildness seem to govern all his motions, and by 

 dodging and flying from place to place, as soon as observ- 

 ed, he continues to escape every appearance of danger. 

 Even in the event of a fatal wound, he still struggles, 

 with unconquerable resolution, to maintain his grasp on 

 the trunk to which he trusts for safety, to the very in- 

 stant of death. When caught by a disabling wound, he 

 still holds his ground against a tree, and strikes with bit- 

 terness the suspicious hand which attempts to grasp him, 

 and, resolute for his native liberty, rarely submits to live 

 in confinement. Without much foundation, he is charg- 

 ed, at times, with tasting maize. In winter, in South 

 Carolina, I have observed them occasionally making a 



