226 THE PILEATED WOODPECKER. 



large larvae, often two or three inches in length; but it does not appear 

 probable that the bristly point is ever used to transfix an object, otherwise 

 how should the object be again set free, without tearing off the prickles, which 

 are extremely delicate and not capable of being bent in every direction? 



The trachea, k k, is 5 inches 4 twelfths in length, considerably flattened, 

 nearly of the uniform breadth of 3 twelfths throughout. The aperture of 

 the glottis is 4 twelfths long, with a posterior flap of several series of papillae. 

 The rings of the trachea are very strong, firmly ossified, 92 in number. At 

 the upper part 3 are incomplete; the last entire ring is very broad and 

 bipartite, and there are 2 additional dimidiate rings. The bronchi are short, 

 of 12 half rings. The lateral or contractor muscles, / /, commence in front, 

 at the base of the thyroid bone, diverge, presently become lateral, and thus 

 proceed until 4^ twelfths from the extremity, when they terminate partly 

 in the sterno-tracheal, but also send down a very thin slip, which is inserted 

 on the first dimidiate ring. 



The explanation of the mechanism by which the tongue is protruded as 

 above given, differs materially from any of those to be found in English 

 works at least, in some of which there is a very unnecessary prolixity as 

 well as ambiguity. It does not appear that hitherto the real sheath in which 

 the horns of the hyoid bone, with its muscle, move, has been observed, and 

 the two very slender muscles which run from the sides of the thyroid bone 

 to the furcula, are common to almost all birds, although they have been 

 supposed to be peculiar to Woodpeckers. 



THE PILEATED WOODPECKER. 



■+ Picus pileatus, Linn. 



PLATE CCLVII Male, Female, and Young Males. 



It would be difficult for me to say in what part of our extensive country I 

 have not met with this hardy inhabitant of the forest. Even now, when 

 several species of our birds are becoming rare, destroyed as they are, either 

 to gratify the palate of the epicure, or to adorn the cabinet of the naturalist, 

 the Pileated Woodpecker is every where to be found in the wild woods, 

 although scarce and shy in the peopled districts. 



