Ceonhloeus Pileatus 
t 
A 
Lake Umbagog, Maine. A superb creature. 
1897. A Pileated Woodpecker that we had heard off in the cedar 
Sept.21. (arbor vitae) swamp (at Curtis Meadow) finally flew nearly 
over us and alighted against the trunk of a tall naked stub 
that stood in the marsh about 40 yards away. Here it remained 
for at least five minutes. It first moved slowly up the trunk 
by a succession of short and rather labored leaps or hops. On 
reaching a point near the top it stopped and clinging to the 
trunk looked alternately down at us and off over the forest. 
Its fine crest was erected most of the time; the sunlight 
shining through it from beyond made it fairly flame. Every 
l 
now and then the bird would cackle 'without moving anything but 
its bill uttering a long succession of slowly given oucks . 
Finally it gave the short, tremulous call (quite distinct from 
the cackle although not dissimilar in tone ) three or four 
times looking all the while towards the west as if it expected 
an answer and finally flying off in that direction. I have 
often been much nearer a Pileated Woodpecker than we 'were to 
this bird but never before have I seen one to equally good ad¬ 
vantage or when I have received so distinct and lasting an 
impression. What a superb creature it is with its flaming 
crest and proud bearing! On this occasion - as on many pre¬ 
vious ones - it reminded me of - or rather suggested - an In¬ 
dian. I believe it the wildest bird that inhabits New England 
not the shyest but the greatest lover of the primitive forest. 
ii 
