PILEATED WOODPECKEIi. '"^' 



Piii/M!. Adull mnlc. (teneral oolor throughout, stxity-blaek with tlic throat, h'nc extending from nc^tril, flown the sides 

 of nee!:, to tlic side of upper breast, line baekofcyc, extreme tips of primaries, basal half of primaries, exeepting outer 

 webs of ouLcr two, basal half of secondaries, and narrow tippings to feat liers of sides, white. Top of head, ineluding occi- 

 jnil, eve t, :!n<l maxillary patehcs, scarlet. 



Ailuft female. Similar to the male, but lacks the scarlet maxillary patch which is rei)lace(l by black, and the auterii/r 

 |)orti.i:i 1 f ilie head is sooty-brown with the feathers tip])ed with yellowish. 



Younj. Diffors from the adult in having more white edgings to the feathers below while a sulphury tinge pervades the 

 broad white markings of the head and is especially noticeable beneath the wing, but there are few, or no, white tippings to 

 the primaries. Iris, yellow, bill, black, bluLsh at biuie of lower mandible, and feet, greenish-brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This AVoddpecker is readily distinguished from allothei-s, excepting the Ivory-billed, by its superior size, and from this 

 latter named sj)ccies by the almost uniform color above as well as by the black bill. Siieeimens vary but little; occasionally 

 a female will have scarlet feathci-s dcitting the darker patch of the anterior portion of the head and the amount of white 

 especially the tippings of the wings, is not alwaj'S the same. Specimens from Florida are much smaller than those from 

 Maine l)ut arc only slightly darker in shade. Distributed as a constant resident, throughout North America but are found 

 only in the heavily wooded districts. 



DDIENSIONS. 



Average mea.surements of seven specimeas from the North. Length, 18'25; stretch, 28-51); wing, 900; tail, (>-75; bill, 

 2'35; tai-sus, 1-30. Longest specimen, 18-75; greatest extent of wing, 29'00; longest wing.'J'.'JO: tail,7-00; bill, 2-50; tarsus, 

 1-40. Shortest specimen. 17'50; smallest extent of wing, 2S-00; shortest wing, 8-50; tail, (J-.'in; bill, 2-25; tarsus, 1-20. 



Average measurements of sixteen specimens from Florida. Length, 16'32; stretch, 2(i-50; wing, 8'50; tail, C02; bill, 

 r75; t.ir-iu-i, 1".30. Longest specimen, 17-50; greatest extent of wing, 28-00; longest wing, 9-00: tail, 0-75; bill, 2-10; tar- 

 sus, r.50. Shortest specimen, 15-15; smallest extent of wing, -25-00; shortest wing, 8-00; tail, 5-30; 1)111, 110; tivrsus, 110. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nrx/x, ]]laccd in cylinder-shaped holes, generally excavated in dead trees. Dimensions, diameter of external orifice, 

 3-00, greatest internal, C-OO. Internal depth, 20-00. 



Eiit/s, f )ur to six in number, elliptical in form, i)ure, pulished pearly-white in color. Dimeasions from OOx 105 to 

 -95x1- 10. 



HABITS. 



No one who has studied the habits of birds, will hesitate to say that Woodpeckers, as 

 well as carpenters, may be known by their chips. When we sec small bits of wood lying 

 about the base of a tree, we are sure that some of the smaller species have been at work; 

 larger pieces indicate that the labor has been performed by the Golden-wing, but when wo 

 meet with a tree trunk denuded throughout its entire extent and the bark lying in piles 

 at its roots, often in blocks six inches square, it becomes obvious that such a task could 

 liave been accomplished by no other than the Great Pilcatcd Woodpecker. The sound of 

 his hammer and chisel is also remarkable, for none among the Woodpeckers, save the Ivory- 

 liill, can strike such resounding l)lows, eacli of which produces a marked effect. All this 

 labor is performed for the sake of finding insects, for the Pileated is the most indefatigable 

 of all tlie family in hunting this kind of prey. They are also very fond of tints and I have 

 frequently found them, both in Pennsylvania and further south, at work on prostrate trees 

 which were inhabited by these insetits. They will (Mt fruit ami are parti;il to the berries 

 of the palmetto, feeding, in Florida., upon little else when these are in season. 



In general habits, this large Woodpecker does not differ especially from the Golden- 

 wing. The notes are not strickingly unlike, those of the Pileated being, of course, louder 

 and they end more abruptly. Both have the same, energetic w;iy of throwing the head 

 h:\v'.i v.hon .-it work, in order to glance quickly around, and the fliglit of l)oth is similar; 



