

xcvi LiFE OF WILSON. 



" As far north as Wilmington, in North Carolina, I met with 

 the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. I killed two, and winged a male, 

 who alarmed the whole town of Wilmington, screaming exactly 

 like a young child crying violently, so that every body sup- 

 posed I had a baby under the apron of my chair, till I took out 

 the bird to prevent the people from stopping me. This bird I 

 confined in the room I was to sleep in, and in less than half an 

 hour he made his way through the plaster, the lath, and partly 

 through the weather boards; and would have escaped, if I had 

 not accidentally come in. The common people confound the 



P. principalis and P. pileatus together. 



* * * * 



"I am utterly at a loss in my wood rambles here, for there 

 are so many trees, shrubs, plants, and insects, that I know no- 

 thing of. There are immense quantities of elegant butterflies, 

 and other singular insects. I met with a grasshopper so big that 

 I took it for a bird; it settles upon trees and bushes. I have 

 kept a record of all the birds which I have seen or shot since I 

 left home. 



" This journey will be of much use to me, as I have formed 

 acquaintance in almost every place, who are able to transmit 

 me information. Great numbers of our summer birds are al- 

 ready here; and many are usually here all winter. 



" There is a Mr. Abbot here, who has resided in Georgia 

 thirty-three years, drawing insects and birds. I have been on 

 several excursions with him. He is a very good observer, and 

 paints well. He has published, in London, one large folio vo- 

 lume of the Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia. It is a very 

 splendid work. There is only one vessel here bound to New 

 York; she sails some time next week, and I shall take my pas- 

 sage in her. I caught a fever here by getting wet; I hope the 

 sea air, and sea-sickness, will carry it off." 



Savannah, March 8, 1809. 

 "Dear Sir, 



" Having now visited all the towns within one hundred miles 

 of the Atlantic, from Maine to Georgia, and done as much for 



