3C8 JJYLATOMfrs I'lLFATUS. 



retreat, will always dart out of this particular hole, eveu if the sides be full of orifices- 

 through which they might readily escape into the open air. 



As remarked, barns arc the favorite resorts of these Woodpeckers in some si^ctions 

 during winter, yet I never knew of their nesting in them but they do use ice-liouses Icr tliis 

 purpose at IIya.nnis, Massachusetts, dci)ositing their eggs in cavities made in the sawdust 

 Avhich is used as a packing between the double walls. The eggs are laid in New England 

 about the first week in May, a little later in Pennsylvania., but I found them in Florida 

 early in April. 



The liears of the latter named section, especially in the vicinity of Indian Tliver, havG 

 the singular habit of ascending the palmettos and tearing out the tender last growth in 

 order to cat it, thereby killing the trees; thus there arc many of the Icaikss trunks along 

 the margin of the hammocks. These f irai excellent breeding places for tlie G^)lden-winged 

 Woodpeckers and they alnmst invariably select them for this purpose. This species is. 

 fond of insects but feeds largely on ants and many that 1 have dissected, both North and 

 South, had their stomachs crammed with them. These birds are fpiite expert at taking in- 

 sects on the wing and may frequently be seen in autumn engaged in this occupation. They 

 are also very fond of pears and apples but will seldom attempt to eat them unless they be 

 overripe. They are partial to corn when it is in the milk and the one which I had in 

 confinement fed almost entirely upon meal. The Golden-winged Woodpeckers remain in 

 New England until late in autumn but with the first snow the majority disappear, a few 

 remaining all winter. 



GENUS V. IIYLATn:iirS. THE BLACK WOODPECKERS. 



<iEN. Cn. S/crnum, nearly /mice as nndc ax /he liriijlu of /lie heel. Marginal inilrntn/ions, no/ equal in Hep/h /n /lie 

 lieiij/h of /he keel; nu/er, more shallow /lian inner. Mannhrium, moelcra/e. Terminal hook of scapula , roundcil on upper 

 and lower sides. Toni/uc, provided wi/li a lo?i</, e.T/ensihIc shea/h, while /he ccra/o-h\jah are cjreally eUmcja/ed and extend a- 

 round /he hack of /he skull. Pruvcn/riculus, very larije. Stomach, no/ very muscular. Salivary (/lands, quite well devel- 

 oped. Bo/h mandihle^, s/rnijii/. Head, cres/cd. 



Mciiihnrs of this genus are markcil cn the top of" the head with scarlet but tlic jirevailing color or. the liody is lihiel;, 

 relieved hy ii'.ai kings of wliite. Tl c tail feathers are quite acuminate. The liind toe exceeds one iuilf tlie lengtli of tlie 

 outer wliieli is projocteil backward. There is but one species witliin our limits. 



HYLATOMUS PILEATUS. 

 Pileated "Woodpecker. 



Hylu/omus pitra/us ISaird, Lirds N, A .; IS.'iS, 107. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. On. Fomi, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, rather thin and horny at the ti]i which is provided 

 with barbs fiu' two thirds of the terminal lengtli. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of tlie length of the tongue. 

 The salivary glands arc moderate in size. There are no laryngeal muscles, excepting the sterno-trachealis which is stout. The 

 tympaniform membrane is jiresent and although there is an os ti'ansver.sale, yet it does not support a semilunar mcnihraue. 

 The oosopliagus is without dilatation and opens into a very large, somewhat cylindrical, proventriculus which measures about 

 1"05 in external diameter by 1-7.5 in length. The gastric glands are rather numerous, simple, and occupy a wide zonular band. 

 The stomach is rather llat in form and quite small, measuring '05 in external width. The walls arc not very muscular, and 

 the lining luendirane is finely rugose. The fold of the duodenum is quite long, inclosing a wide ]ianci'ea-s whicli is of a very 

 irregular Ibnii The s|)h'cn is an elliptical body lying over the proventriculus. Both lobes of tlic liver are about ciiual in 

 size. 



