(_Life size_)
(Swainson)
]
"The first place I observed the bird at," says Wilson, "when on my way to
the South, was about twelve miles north of Wilmington, in North Carolina.
Having wounded it slightly in the wing, on being caught it uttered a
loudly-reiterated and most piteous note, exactly resembling the violent
crying of a young child, which terrified my horse so much as nearly to
have cost me my life. It was distressing to hear it. I carried it with me
under cover to Wilmington. In passing through the street its cry surprised
every one within hearing, particularly the females, who hurried to the
doors and windows with looks of alarm. 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, all equally alarmed at what they heard.
This alarm was greatly increased by my asking whether they could find
accommodation for myself and my baby; the man looked blank and foolish,
while the others stared with still greater astonishment. After diverting
myself for a minute or two at their expense, I drew my Woodpecker from
under the cover, and a general laugh took place. I took him upstairs,
and locked him in my room while I went to look after my horse. In less
than an hour I returned, and on opening the door he set up the same
distressing shout, which now appeared to proceed from grief that he had
been discovered in his efforts at escape. He had mounted along the side
of the window, nearly as high as the ceiling, a little below which he had
begun to break through. The bed was covered with large pieces of plaster.
The latter was exposed for at least fifteen inches square, and a hole
opened large enough to admit the fist close to the weather-boards; so that
in less than another hour he would certainly have made his way through. I
now tied a string to his leg, fastened him to the table, and again left
him. As I re-ascended the stairs I heard him again hard at work, and on
entering had the mortification to find that he had almost ruined the
mahogany table, on which he seemed to have wreaked his whole vengeance.
While engaged in taking a drawing of him, he cut me severely in several
places, and, on the whole, displayed such an unconquerable spirit that I
was frequently tempted to restore him to his native woods. He lived with
me nearly three days, but refused all sustenance, and I witnessed his
death with regret."
[Illustration: THE RED-HEADED BLACK WOODPECKER (_Melanerpes
erythrocephalus_).]
The head and bill of this species are held in great esteem, as a sort of
charm or amulet, by many tribes of the American Indians, who ornament
their belts with them; and Europeans eagerly purchase them as curiosities.
When wounded, this Woodpecker generally ascends the nearest tree in a
spiral direction, till it attains the topmost branches, where it hides;
but if intercepted and laid hold of, it defends itself desperately, both
with its beak and claws, inflicting severe lacerations.
* * * * *
The BLACK WOODPECKERS (_Melanerpes_) are less remarkable for their size
than for the beauty of their plumage. In these birds the body is powerful,
the head large, and the neck short. The beak is straight, broader than it
is high at the base, its upper mandible is arched, and its margins turned
inwards; the distinguishing characteristics of the bill, however, are the
four small parallel ridges that commence at the nostrils, and extend as
far as the centre of the beak. The tarsus equals the reversible toe and
its claw in length; the fourth and fifth wing-quills are of equal size,
and longer than the rest; the tail is much rounded; and a small space
around the eyes is quite bare. Black, red, and white predominate in the
coloration of the plumage. All the various members of this group inhabit
North and South America.