234 
HYLATOMUS PILEATUS. 
retreat, will always dart out of this particular hole, even if the sides he full of orifices 
through which they might readily escape into the open air. 
As remarked, barns are the favorite resorts of these Woodpeckers in some sections 
during winter, yet I never knew of their nesting in them but they do use ice-houses for this 
purpose at Ilyannis, Massachusetts, depositing their eggs in cavities made in the sawdust 
which is used as a packing between the double walls. The eggs are laid in New England 
about the first week in May, a little later in Pennsylvania, but I found them in Florida 
early in April. 
The bears of the latter named section, especially in the vicinity of Indian River, have 
the singular habit of ascending the palmettos and tearing out the tender last growth in 
order to eat it, thereby killing the trees; thus there are many of the leafless trunks along 
the margin of the hummocks. These form excellent breeding places for the Golden-winged 
Woodpeckers and they almost invariably select them for this purpose. This species is 
fond of insects but feeds largely on ants and many that I have dissected, both North and 
South, had their stomachs crammed with them. These birds are quite expert at taking in¬ 
sects on the wing and may frequently be seen in autumn engaged in this occupation. They 
are also very fond of pears and apples but will seldom attempt to eat. them unless they be 
overripe. They are partial to corn when it is in the milk and the one which I had in 
confinement fed almost entirely upon meal. The Golden-winged Woodpeckers remain in 
New England until late in autumn but with the first snow the majority disappear, a few 
remaining all winter. 
GENUS V. HYLATOMUS. THE BLACK WOODPECKERS. 
Gen. Ch. Sternum, nearly twice as wide as the height of the keel. Marginal indentations, not equal in depth to-the 
heiglh of the keel; outer, more shallow than inner. Manubrium, moderate. Terminal hook of scapula, rounded on upper 
and lower sides. Tongue, provided with along, extensible sheath, while the cerato-hyals are greatly elongated and extend a- 
round the back of the skull. Proventriculus, very large. Stomach, not very muscular. Salivary glands, quite well devel¬ 
oped. Both mandibles, straight. Head, crested. 
Members of this genus are marked on the top of the head with scarlet hut the prevailing color on the body is black, 
relieved by markings of white. The tail feathers are quite acuminate. The hind toe exceeds one half the length of the 
outer which is projected backward. There is but one species within our limits. 
HYLATOMUS PILEATUS. 
PileatecL Woodpecker. 
Hylatomuspileatus Baird, Birds N. A .; 1858, 107. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, rather thin and horny at the tip which is provided 
with barbs for two thirds of the terminal length. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of the length of the tongue. 
The salivary glands are moderate in size. There are no laryngeal muscles, excepting the sterno-trachealis which is stout. The 
tympaniform membrane is present and although there is an os transversale, yet it does not support a semilunar membrane. 
The oesophagus is without dilatation and opens into a very large, somewhat cylindrical, proventriculus which measures about 
P05 in external diameter by l - 75 in length. The gastric glands are rather numerous, simple, and occupy a wide zonular band. 
The stomach is rather flat in form and quite small, measuring '65 in external width. The walls are not very muscular, and 
the lining membrane is finely rugose. The fold of the duodenum is quite long, inclosing a wide pancreas which is of a very 
irregular form. The spleen is an elliptical body lying over the proventyiculus. Both lobes of the liver are about equal in 
size. 
