PiciDJE. BIRDS. PiciDa:. clxiii 
of North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
It is a resident of the northern districts of New 
England throughout the year, and has been known 
to breed as far south as Massachusetts. Verrill 
says it is most common in winter. 'I’his bird is the 
second in size among his tribe. Wilson says : “ He 
is noted for making a loud and almost incessant 
cackling before wet weather, flying at such times in 
a restless<-uneasy manner from tree to tree, making 
the woods echo to his outcry. Almost every old 
trunk in the forest where he resides bears the mark 
of his chisel. Whenever he perceives a tree begin- 
ning to decay, he examines it around with gi’eat 
skill and dexterity, strips off the bark in sheets of 
five or six feet in length, to get at the hidden cause of 
the disease, and labors with a gayety and activity 
really surprising.” 'I'he Pileated Woodpecker is not 
migratory, but braves the extremes of both the arc- 
tic and torrid regions. Neither is he gregarious, for 
it is rare to see more than one or two, or at the 
most three, in company. Dr. Brewer says : “I have 
occasionally met with it in the wilder portions of 
New Hampshire and Maine, but have nowhere been 
so fortunate as to observe its nest or breeding-place. 
It has always seemed a very shy bird, difficult of 
approach, always keeping at a safe distance, and ever 
greeting your attempts for a nearer view with a loud, 
cackling cry, not unlike a derisive laugh. 'I'he nest 
of this species is dug out of a tree by themselves, 
and has no lining but the rotten chips that are 
allowed to remain in the bottom of the hole.” Mr. 
Paine, of Kandolph, Vt., says that they were very 
abundant in that State fifty years since, but are now 
extremely rare, 'i’hey are quite numerous in Texas, 
and have been niet with in Vancouver Island. Speci- 
mens from the Northern Rocky Mountains and from 
the re<;ion of Puget’s Sound are much larger than 
those from the South, and'approach very nearly the 
great Ivory-bill Woodpecker in size. 
BED-BELLIEB WOODPECKER [Genturus earo- 
linm ). — 'Phis species has all the restlessness and the 
noisy habits of its tribe. It is less domestic than 
some, and more solitary, preferring the largest high- 
timbered woods and tallest decayed trees of the forest. 
It inhabits a large extent of country, from the Atlan- 
tic Coast to the eastern slope of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, in all of which it seems to be resident. It is 
much more abundant in the southern and western 
States, and is very rarely found north of Pennsylva- 
nia on the Atlantic Coast, though it is, according to 
Wilson, abundant in Upper Canada. Mr. Allen speaks 
of it as a summer visitant in Western Massachusetts, 
and Prof. Emmons has taken it in Connecticut. 
YELLOW-BELLIED WOODPECKER (C. aurifrom). 
— 'I’his is exclusively a southern bird, its habitat 
being on the Rio Grande region and Mexico. It is 
regarded as very shy, and as frequenting very com- 
monly the truidcs of the mesquiti, uttering a loud, 
sharp cry as it passes from one tree to another. 'J’his 
is an interesting instance of the preference which 
birds often give to certain kinds of trees or shrubs. 
Dr. Heerman, who has been familiar with this species, 
says that he never found them in any other tree. 
GILA WOODPECKER {C. uropygialis ). — 'j’his spe- 
cies was discovered by Dr. Kennerley in his route 
along the thirty-fifth parallel, and described by Prof. 
Baird in 1854. It is very shy, and seems to have 
very peculiar notes, which it utters when flying, as 
do others of the class. 'I'he giant cactus, of the 
Mexican plains, is seen bored by this bird, and its 
nest is frequently constructed in the pithy interior 
of the larger stalks. 'I’hey subsist mostly on in- 
sects, but they also feed on the berries of the mis- 
tletoe and mesquiti. Dr. Cooper says : “ 'J’hey have 
a loud note of alarm, strikingly similar to that of 
the Phaenopepla nitens, which associates with them 
in the mistletoe boughs.” 
LEWIS’ WOODPECKER {Melanerpes torquatm ). — 
'I’liis species is found from the Black Hills to the 
Pacific, and reaching from Puget’s Sound to the gulf of 
California. 'I’hey were first observed by Lewis and 
Clarke in their journey to the Pacific. Mr. Nuttall, 
who met with them in the central chain of the 
Rocky Mountains, describes them as very unlike 
W oodpeckers in their habits, as they perched in dense 
flocks, like Starlings, neither climbing branches, nor 
tapping in the manner of their tribe, but darting 
after insects, and devouring berries like 'i’hrushes. 
'I’heir breeding places are generally holes in oaks and 
other trees, which are excavated for the purpose. 
All observers agree in stating that the habits are 
singularly different from others of the tribe. Mr. 
Lord says : “It flies with a heavy flapping motion, 
much like a Jay, feeds a good deal on the ground, 
and chases insects on the wing, like a Shrike or a 
King-bird.” Whilst mating, they assemble in large 
numbers, and keep up a continual, loud, chattering 
noise. It approaches nearer to the Red-headed 
Woodpecker in its habits, but has many distinctive 
peculiarities. Mr. Ridgway found it very abundant in 
Sacramento Valley, and noticed a very [)eculiar and 
characteristic habit of ascending high into the air, 
and taking a strange, floating flight, seemingly labo- 
rious, as if struggling against the wind, and then de- 
scending in broad circles to the trees. 
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER {Melanerpes erythro- 
cephalm ). — 'I’his is one of the most universally 
known birds in the United States. Its strikingly 
beautiful plumage, and sharp contrasts of brilliant 
color render it particularly attractive. In New En- 
gland it is not so common, though it is found, even 
in winter, in most of the States. Dr. Brewer says 
that it was once common in the neighborhood of 
Boston, but is now seldom met with. Mi-. Paine, of 
Vermont, says that it is a tradition among his neigh- 
bors that this bird was formerly everywhere known 
throughout all portions of the State. It has the 
rejmtation of being fonder of small fruits than any 
other species. Of this habit Wilson says : “But let 
us not condemn the bird unheard ; they exist, they 
must therefore be necessary. If their merits and 
usefulness be found, on examination, to preponderate 
against their vices, let us avail ourselves of the for- 
mer, while we guard as well as we can against the 
latter. 'I'liough this bird occasionally regales him- 
self with fruit, yet his natural and most useful food 
