236 HYLATOMUS P1LEATVS. 



while, in the wilds of Florida, whore neither are shot, one is as unsuspicious' as the other, 

 for I have often walked within twenty yards of the Pileated, even when there was nothing 

 to conceal me from the bird. 



The Pileated Woodpeckers inhabit the huge forests of Northern New England, never 

 occurring in small growths of timber; hence are now seldom, if ever, found in Eastern 

 Massachusetts although they are occasionally taken in the western portion of the state. 

 They are not uncommon in the mountain valleys of Pennsylvania but I found them much 

 more common as I proceeded south and in the uninhabited sections of Florida, they arc very 

 abundant. 



The Pileated Woodpeckers are found in this latter named section, both in the hum- 

 mocks and in the piney woods. It is probable that they breed in both kinds of woodland 

 but the only nest that I ever saw was built in a dead stub which stood on the edge of a 

 clearing at Miami. I had noticed a pair of these Woodpeckers, flying about the place, 

 early in March and, although I conjectured that they were either drilling their hole or about 

 to do so, it was not. until the twenty-eighth of the month, that I chanced to discover their 

 home. 



It was placed in a fire-blackened stub which was about three feet in diameter and the 

 opening to the nest was, at least, thirty feet from the ground. I did not attempt to as- 

 cend to it that day as I was unprovided with any instruments with which to enlarge the 

 hole. The next day, I returned with a small ax which I had borrowed of a cracker woman 

 who lived near, and with great difficulty, managed to scramble up the trunk. This labor 

 was not only arduous, but decidedly unpleasant, for the surface of the wood was reduced 

 to charcoal which crumbled into a fine, black dust beneath my grasp. At length, how- 

 ever, I reached a projecting limb beneath the nest and, fortunately, near enough forme to 

 reach it conveniently. At this stage of my proceedings, the female bird darted out of the 

 hole and, now certain of obtaining the eggs, I at once began to cut the tree. As I was 

 obliged to hold on with one hand and wield the ax with the other, I could not make over 

 half a dozen strokes without stopping to rest. The tree was old, having evidently been 

 dead for years and the wood was as hard as ivory; thus, although I labored diligently, only 

 pausing to wipe away the perspiration that streamed down my cheeks or to clear my eyes 

 of the dust, it was two hours before I had opened a hole of sufficient size to enable me to 

 reach the bottom of the orifice. I eagerly thrust in my hand and found nothing but chips. 

 I do not believe that there was a more disappointed man than myself in the whole state 

 of Florida. I slid down the tree in no enviable state of mind and, going to the cracker's 

 shanty to return the fix, was greeted with a look of surprise from the woman who owned 

 the place, which quickly gave way to one of amusement followed by loud laughter. In- 

 dignant at such treatment after my ill success, I was about to turn away without a word, 

 when she held up a small looking-glass before me and a glance showed me the cause of 

 her merriment. The charcoal dust combined with the moisture had so completely covered 

 my face that I was as black as the blackest darky that ever boasted of African origin. A 

 vigorous washing with soap and water soon set this to rights and I then took my way camp- 

 ward, fully determined not to trust to outward appearances again when I found a Pileated 



