11 



ently been brought a distance of half a mile. The cavity meas- 

 ured 120 millimetres in breadth, by 40 in depth. It contained 

 three eggs of a light blue, sparingly sprinkled with rufous, the 

 spots larger and more numerous toward the larger end. An- 

 other nest, found a few days later, contained five eggs of a more 

 neutral tint, and with the spots darker and larger and more evenly 

 distributed. 



Campephilus principalis. I found these magnificent wood- 

 peckers quite abundant in the neighborhood of Enterprise. They 

 are not often seen in the pine barrens, but there was scarcely a 

 swamp or hummock without at least one pair. From the qui- 

 escent state of the genital organs of the specimens procured by 

 me from March till May, they would seem, unless these were ex- 

 ceptions to the general rule, to breed either very early or very 

 late, probably the former. 



Dryoiomus pileatus. The Pileated Woodpecker is still more 

 abundant. Near Fort Capron at Indian River there was an old 

 fence of palmetto logs, which was a favorite resort of these birds ; 

 while they were busily engaged in searching for insects on one 

 side of this fence, I have often approached them so near as to be 

 able to touch them with my hand, but never succeeded in fright- 

 ening them so as to produce convulsions by striking the log sud- 

 denly, as described by Audubon. If I remained quiet, and the 

 bird became aware of my presence by climbing round the log so 

 as to get sight of me, it never flew otiT at once, but retreated im- 

 mediately behind the log ; and either remained some time in the 

 same place before flying away, or else ran along the log to some 

 distance, occasionally peeping over the top at me. It would seem 

 as if the sense of hearing could not be so acute as in most birds, 

 for when they once get sight of any one who may be attempting 

 to approach them, it is impossible to get within gunshot of them. 



Aramus scolopaceiis. The everglades, and the lagoons and 

 bayous leading out of them, are considered by Audubon as the 

 head-quarters of this bird. That this may be true of certain 

 parts of these singular regions I think may be correct ; but in 

 the visits which I have made at different times to that portion 

 of the everglades situated in the neighborhood of Fort Dal- 

 las, I never met with an individual. I have never met with it 

 either on the shallow ponds and wet savannahs, so numerous in 



