PILEATED WOODPECKER. 
405. Phleotomus pileatus. 17 inches. 
Male with a scarlet crown and erest, and a red 
moustache or mark extending back from the bill; female 
with scarlet crest but a blackish forehead and no mous- 
tache. 
Next to the Ivory-bills, these are the largest of our 
Woodpeckers. Like that species it is very destructive 
to trees in its search for food. While engaged in this 
pursuit, they often drill large holes several inches into 
sound wood to reach the object of their search. Like 
all the Woodpeckers, they delight in playing tattoos 
on dry, resonant limbs with their bills. 
Note.—A whistled “cuk,” “cuk,” “cuk,” slowly re- 
peated many times, also a ‘“‘wick-up” repeated several 
times. 
Nest.—In large cavities in trees, in which they lay 
four to six white eggs (1,30x 1.00). 
Range.—Southern United States. The Northern 
Pileated Woodpecker (abieticola) is locally found in 
temperate N. A. 
