410 PILBATED WOODPECKER. 



quite rare. The Yeery and the Towhee, the elegant Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the 

 brilliant Scarlet Tanager are now rarely met with. The 'Bush-hen' (or Ruffed Grouse), 

 whose thunder-like noise sounded through the forest, and whose young, when accidentally 

 met, rushed to all sides, is w^ell-nigh extirpated. Even the familiar notes of the Whip- 

 poorwill, so full of poetry and anticipation, are not so often heard of late as formerly. 

 One inhabitant of the extensive forest, the beautiful Pileated Woodpecker, also known 

 as the 'King of the woods,' 'Log-cock' and 'Black Woodcock,' I have not seen for many 

 years in this locality. It seems to have vanished with the grand forests and with the 

 Indiaris, who roamed about in great numbers in these woods during our childhood days." 



These words, from the pen of Miss Hedwig Schlichting, about the presenf condition 

 of the woods and the bird-life in the southern part of the coniferous region of Wisconsin, 

 are doubtless true. When I left the locality in 1869, a large portion of the pine woods 

 were quite undisturbed, and the large and conspicuous, though rather shy and never verj' 

 abundant Pileated Woodpecker was a regular inhabitant in all secluded localities of the 

 dense forests. It had a predilection for mixed woods, consisting of white pines, maples, 

 birches, oaks, hickories, elms, lindens, etc. The many dead trees, fall of large black ants 

 and worms, its main food, offered all the subsistence necessary. But the country became 

 densely settled, the forests vanished, and with them these birds. It was once a common 

 bird from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and south of Latitude 63° to the Gulf of Mexico 

 and southern Texas (except in the southern Rocky Mountains). In the East it seems to 

 be extirpated except in the remote forests of the Adirondacks and Alleghanies, and in 

 the well-wooded mountains of New England. 



In the years of 1879 to 1882 I had excellent opportunities to observe this large 

 and beautiful Woodpecker in Texas. It was everywhere a common bird, particularly in 

 the post-oak woods and in the extensive bottom forests on the Colorado and Brazos 

 Rivers. I also observed it in the region of the Acadians in southern Louisiana*, and in 

 the hammock woods on the Chattahoochee and Lake Apopka in Florida. In the two 

 latter States it is particularly numerous in the low woods consisting of live, water, and 

 pin oaks, pecan trees, sweet gums, magnolias, gordonias, and cabbage palmettos, and 

 in extensive cypress swamps, where it is a near neighbor of the rare Ivory-billed Wood- 

 pecker. During my residence in the post-oak woods of Texas I observed them through- 

 out the year near my house. The following is quoted from my diary : 



"West Yegua, Tex., July 22, 1881. This beautiful species is one of our common 

 Woodpeckers. Without fear it visits the large post-oaks in my yard. This morning 

 four, evidently young ones, came in the large oak only a few feet from my house. They 

 perched on the rough bark at the base of the tree, but before they commenced to climb 

 upwards they carefully and inquisitively looked around. The strong and stiff tail-feathers 

 serve in an excellent way as a support, and with a vigorous jerk they move forward on the 

 trunk. These beautiful birds with their powerful bills and their glowing red crests form 

 a most interesting picture. They are not shy and can be easily observed. Their loud 

 hammering sounds through the forest, but their call-notes are still louder. As soon as 

 the leader, probably the old male, took wing, it uttered its pecuhar and far-sounding 

 call-notes, a clear a~wick, a-wick, a-wick, and the three others folloAved immediately." 



* This locality has become famous all over the world through Longiellow's beautiful poem "Evangeline " 



