THE IVORY -BILLED WOODPECKER. 137 



insects wliich ever infest those noble trees. Wilson 

 says that, " Wherever he frequents, he leaves numer- 

 ous monuments of his industry behind him. We 

 there see enormous pine trees, with cart-loads of bark 

 lying around their roots, and chips of the trunk it> 

 self, in such quantities as to suggest the idea that 

 half a dozen axe-men had been at work there for the 

 whole morning." 



The same author relates the following amusing ac- 

 count of one of these birds which he had captured 

 in a wounded condition, and carried with him for 

 some distance. " This bird was only wounded slightly 

 in the wing, and on being caught, uttered a loudly 

 reiterated and most piteous note, exactly resembling 

 the violent crying of a young child, which terrified 

 my horse so, as nearly to have cost me my life. It 

 was distressing to hear it. I carried it with me in 

 the chair, under cover, to Wilmington, N. C. In 

 passing through the streets, its affecting cries sur- 

 prised every one within hearing, particularly the 

 females, who hurried to the doors and windows with 

 looks of alarm and anxiety. I drove on, and on ar- 

 riving at the piazza of the hotel where I intended to 

 put up, the landlord came forward, and a number of 

 other persons who happened to be there, all equally 

 alarmed at what they heard. This was greatly in- 

 creased by my asking whether he could furnish me 

 with accommodations for myself and my baby. The 

 man looked blank and foolish, while the others stared 

 with still greater astonishment. After diverting 

 myself for a minute or two at their expense, I drew 

 12* 



