•^'- IVORY-BILLKD [VOODPECKER. 



DESCRIPTIOX i)F NESTS AND EGGS. 



iV«/s, placed in cylinder-sliaped boles, generally excavated in living trees. Dimensions, diameter of external orilice, 

 4-00, greatest internal, T'OO. Internal deptli, -^O-OO. 



Ea//s, four to six in numlicr, elli|)tioal in firn!, pure, imlislied pearly-white in color. Dimensions (ap])roximatc) from 

 •95x1-10 to lOOxl-15. 



IIAI'ITS. 



The Ivory-bill, prince among Woodpoukcrs, once ;tbun(l;int thronghout Uic Soutboru 

 States, north to the Carolina^ on the c.ist un.l up the Mis.sissippi Valley to Illinois on the 

 west, is now quite rare, being restricted to very limited areas. Even in Florida, that last 

 sirong hold for many species of birds which are in (hinger of being exterminated, it is com- 

 mon in lint one section. Tliis is the Gull' llununock, an extensive track of heavily wood- 

 ed laud, uuinlia)»ited, save l)y camps oi' c(_'(lar hunters, which extends from the Suwannee 

 Eiver, eastward, nearly (o the Oclawaha. Here they are quite numerous for they are sel- 

 dom, if ever, disturbed. They also occur regularly, but rarely, in a belt of country be- 

 tween the Gulf Hummock and the lagoons which extend along the Atlantic coast. Although 

 th^y were not unfrequent in the latter named sccticni some ten years ago, at the present 

 time, they are quite rare for they have not only becMi persistently hunted by collectors, but 

 many have met their fate at the hands of tourists who appear to consider all birds in Florida 

 largev than a Sparrow as legitimate prey. 



'■' I iThe Ivory-billed Woodpeckers inhabit the thick hummocks and swamps, seldom ap- 

 pearing in the piney woods, but one who is skilled in interpreting bird notes, will have no 

 difficulty in detecting their presence for their loud cries which diflTer consideral)ly from 

 those uttered by the Pileated, are constantly given when the birds are feeding. When 

 once heard, they may be approached qmto readily as they are not generally very shy. I 

 liave been infmnned by the cedar hunters tliat this s[)0cies always nests in living trees, gen- 

 endly huue live-oaks, beginning to l)nil(i during the latter part of February. 



These, Lirge and handsome Woodpeckers generally go in pairs throughout the year 

 HlojlviiiiS they do not, wander much, even in winter, certain birds may always be found in 

 pa+ti'c'tflar' 'sections of a hu;nmock or swamp. When Oying, they are silent, moving with a 

 heavy, rather undulating, llight, similar to that of the Pileateil Wooditecker but the Ivory- 

 bills may always be distinguished, even when at a distance, by the snowy whiteness of 

 their secondaries. Like many species of this family, they appear to have a predilection 

 for the vicinity of water and I have frequently observed them crossing the St. John's River 

 ifi advance of the steamer on which I was proceeding up the stream. 



This occurred some years ago but I doul)t if, at the present time, many of these noble 

 Woodpeckers are to be Ibund in the vicinity of the St. John's, for it is a lamentable fac^t, 

 that they are rapidly^ be(-oming exterminated in all sections of Florida which are visited by 

 tourists. 



As related, the last strong hold of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is in the Gulf Iluin- 

 mock but how, long, they will remain unmolested in this fiistness, is a probhun which the 

 KOttlement of that portion of the country will solve before many years have ijassi-d. Then, 

 unless they be protected liy stringent laws, they will disappear from the surfacu' of the 



