234 HYLATOMUS P1LEATUS. 



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

 through which they might readily escape into the open air. 



As remarked, barns are the favorite resorts of these Woodpeckers in some sections 

 during winter, yet I never knew of their nesting in them but they do use ice-houses for this 

 purpose at Ilyannis, Massachusetts, depositing their eggs in cavities made in the sawdust 

 which 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 bears of the latter named section, especially in the vicinity of Indian River, have 

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

 order to eat it, thereby killing the trees; thus there are many of the leafless trunks along 

 the margin of the hummocks. These form excellent breeding places for the Golden- winged 

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

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

 South, had their stomachs crammed with them. These birds are quite 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. IIYLATOMUS. THE BLACK WOODPECKERS. 



GEN. Cn. Sternum, nearly twice as wide as the height of the keel. Marginal indentations, not equal in depth to the 

 heigth of the keel; outer, more shallow than inner. Manubrium, moderate. Terminal hoolt of scapula, rounded on upper 

 and lower sides. Tongue , provided with a long , extensible sheath, while the cerato-hyals are greatly elongated and extend a- 

 round the lack of the skull. Proventriculus, very large. Stomach, not very muscular. Salivary glands, quite well devel- 

 oped. Both mandibles, straight. Head, crested. 



Members of this genus are marked on the top of the head with scarlet but the prevailing color on the body is black, 

 relieved by markings of white. The tail feathers are quite acuminate. The hind toe exceeds one half the length of the 

 outer which is projected backward. There is but one species within our limits. 



HYLATOMUS PILEATTJS. 

 Pileated "Woodpecker. 



Hylatomus pileatus BAIRD, Birds N. A .; 1858, 107. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, rather thin and horny at the tip which is provided 

 ~with barbs for two thirds of the terminal length. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of the length of the tongue. 

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

 tympaniform membrane is present and although there is an os transversale, yet it does not support a semilunar membrane. 

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

 1 '05 in external diameter by T75 inlength. The gastric glands are rather numerous, simple, and occupy a wide zonular band. 

 The stomach is rather flat in form and quite small, measuring '65 in external width. The walls are not very muscular, and 

 the lining membrane is finely rugose. The fold of the duodenum is quite long, inclosing a wide pancreas which is of a very 

 irregular form. The spleen is an elliptical body lying over the proventriculus. Both lobes of the liver are about equal in 

 size. 



