THE COLLECTOR'S MONTHLY. 



35 



Pileatcd Woodpecker. 



[Picus Hylotomus) pileatus. 



The Pilcated Woodpecker, otherwise 

 known as Black Wood-cock, or Log cock, 

 is not a very common bird throughout Iowa, 

 but can be found along the wooded water 

 courses. His length is about eighteen inches; 

 width about twenty four; color, blackish: 

 brown, crest, a brilliant red; a red dash at 

 the angles of the mouth; bill, black; chin 

 and feathers of nostrils, white; this color 

 passes in a stripe, down the sides of the neck 

 and spreads under the wings ; upper half of 

 wings, white which is concealed, when bird 

 is at rest, by the black coverts; tail rather 

 long and tapering ; feathers convex above, 

 and rather strong, the female differs from 

 the male, by the front of the head being of a 

 light brown color, and the dash behind the 

 mouth, is rather dusky. No nests of thi s 

 beautiful bird have ever been known to have 

 been taken in this (Polk) county, and I think 

 I may safely say, in Iowa. 



I remember one day, about a year ago, a 

 friend of mine and I were out hunting rab- 

 bits, about eight to ten miles north west of 

 town, when we "happened" through a patch 

 of woods, where the above named birds were 

 said to exist- 



I m ade up my mind, if there were any thre 

 T was going to see what one looked like, a 

 I had never seen any. After hunting for | 

 nearly half an hour, I heard an exceedingly ! 

 loud "drumming," and hastening to the spot, i 

 I saw, on a dead limb of a large elm, a Pil- j 

 eated Woodpecker. I tried my best to secur 

 the bird, but the gun I had was an old one, 

 and can "scatter" all over creation. After 

 wasting six or eight shells, and chasing the 

 bird all around the woods for fully an hour 

 and a half, he at last got away from me, so I 

 gave him up in disgust, and my friend and I 

 slowly wended our way homeward, as tired 

 a pair of "mortals" as ever went hunting. 

 F. Leon Englepert. 



Des Moines, Iowa, 



A Correction. 



In looking over the May number of the 

 "Collector* Monthly," I saw the article on 

 "Some Oregon birds" written by G. I 

 Howe. I find that the article on "Oi 

 Jay" is incorrect and as it will undoubtedly 

 lead many of the readers astray, and as our 

 friend Howe may bear correction. I semi 

 this notice, which perhaps will lead Mr. 

 Howe and many others to a more close 

 observation of the Jays, 



There are three rare species of lays in 

 Oregon viz. Stellers, Blue Fronted and 

 Oregon. The latter is the most rare ami is 

 very seldom found below an elevation of 

 four thousand feet, It resembles the East 

 ern Jay in color more than any other, its 

 breast being grayish white and the other 

 plumage of a much lighter shade than 

 Steller's or the Blue Fronted Jay both oi 

 which are common in Oregon. 



The Oregon Jay belongs to the family of 

 crestless Jays and as Mr. Howe's Jays has 

 a prominent crest, that alone will show that 

 he has made a mistake. 'The Oregon Jay 

 has no crest. 



During the past two years of careful 

 observation, I have only seen three speci- 

 mens of the Oregon Jay. These observation 

 have been taken in the valley as well as in 

 the mountains. 



It is not difficult to distinguish between 

 the male and female as is the case in Steller's 

 and Blue Fronted Jays, which can only be 

 told by dissection. The difference between 

 the latter two species is not easily seen but 

 requires practice. In Steller's Jay the blue 

 and white wing markings are more bright 

 than the Blue Fronted Jay. In Steller's 

 lav. you also find a few white feathers just 

 above the upper mandible extending back 

 to the crest which you do not find in the 

 Blue Fronted Jay. 



The specie therefore which friend Howe 

 has described is either Steller's or Blue 

 Fronted and in all probability it is the latter 

 as that is the most abundant. 

 Very truly, 



Dr. a. G. Prill. 



