XCVl 
LIFE OF WILSON. 
‘‘ As far north, as Wilmington, in North Carolina, I met with 
the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. I killed two, and winged a male, 
who alarmed the whole town of Wilmington, screaming exactly 
like a young child crying violently, so that every body sup- 
posed I had a baby under the apron of my chair, till I took out 
the bird to prevent the people from stopping me. This bird I 
confined in the room I was to sleep in, and in less than half an 
hour he made his way through the plaster, the lath, and partly 
through the weather boards; and would have escaped, if I had 
not accidentally come in. The common people confound the 
P. principalis and P. pileatus together. 
■Ji:* 7^ *5^ 
“I am utterly at a loss in my wood rambles here, for there 
are so many trees, shrubs, plants, and insects, that I know no- 
thing of. There are immense quantities of elegant butterflies, 
and other singular insects. I met with a grasshopper so big that 
I took it for a bird; it settles upon trees and bushes. I have 
kept a record of all the birds which I have seen or shot since I 
left home. 
“ This journey will be of much use to me, as I have formed 
acquaintance in almost every place, who are able to ti’ansmit 
me information. Great numbers of our summer birds are al- 
ready here; and many are usually here all winter. 
“There is a Mr. Abbot here, who has resided in Georgia 
thirty-three years, drawing insects and birds. I have been on 
several excursions with him. He is a very good observer, and 
paints well. He has published, in London, one large folio vo- 
lume of the Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia. It is a very 
splendid work. There is only one vessel here bound to New 
York; she sails some time next week, and I shall take my pas- 
sage in her. I caught a fever here by getting wet; I hope the 
sea air, and sea-sickness, will carry it off.” 
Savannah, March 8, 1809. 
“ Dear Sir, 
“ Having now visited all the towns within one hundred miles 
of the Atlantic, from Maine to Georgia, and done as much for 
