22 



IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER 



ture of desolation. And yet ignorance and prejudice stubbornly 

 persist in directing their indignation against the bird now before 

 us, the constant and mortal enemy of these very vermin, as if the 

 hand that probed the wound to extract its cause, should be equally 

 detested with that which inflicted it ; or as if the thief-catcher should 

 be confounded with the thief. Until some effectual preventive or 

 more complete mode of destruction can be devised against these 

 insects, and their larvse, I would humbly suggest the propriety of 

 protecting, and receiving with proper feelings of gratitude, the ser- 

 vices of this and the whole tribe of Woodpeckers, letting the odium 

 of guilt fall to its proper owners. 



In looking over the accounts given of the Ivory-billed Wood- 

 pecker by the naturalists of Europe, I find it asserted, that it in- 

 habits from New Jersey to Mexico. I believe, however, that few 

 of them are ever seen to the north of Virginia, and very few of them 

 even in that state. The first place I observed this bird at, when 

 on my way to the south, was about twelve miles north of Wilming- 

 ton in North Carolina. There I found the bird from which the 

 drawing of the figure in the plate was taken. 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. In passing 

 through the streets its affecting cries surprised every one within 

 hearing, particularly the females, who hurried to the doors and win- 

 dows with looks of alarm and anxiety. I drove on, and on arriving 

 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 accom- 

 modations for myself and my baby. The man looked blank, and 

 foolish, while the others stared with still greater astonishment. 



