CHAPTER XXII. 



Miscellaneous Birds — Picarian Birds. 



The birds of this great order differ from the perching birds mainly 

 in the structure of their feet. The majority of the species have the 

 toes arranged two pointing forward and two directed backward. In 

 those that have three in front and one behind the feet are usually small 

 and weak, and the metatarsal bones short. The order includes "the 

 wood-peckers, cuckoos, humming birds, swifts, kingfishers, rollers and 

 others,, and is well represented in the Chinese avi-fauna. They form 

 a most interesting group so that it would be well to consider them in 

 some detail. 



Much the largest of all the woodpeckers in this country is the 

 great black woodpecker {Pic us martius). This is a very rare species, 

 occuring only in the wilds of the wooded mountain areas. It is about 

 18 inches in length, with jet black plumage, except for a very con- 

 spicuous crimson crown. It is remarkable how many of the Picidae 

 have these brilliant crimson patches on their heads, which, 

 however, is usually absent in the females. The beak of 

 the great black woodpecker is very powerful, and is flattened 

 vertically at the tip to form a most effective implement in the 

 drilling of holes in tr^e trunks. i\IostIy this drilling and chipping is 

 carried out in the surface of soft and decaying wood in the search for 

 insects, upon which the bird feeds ; but when the nesting season comes 

 on, tlie parent birds excavate deep holes, sometimes many feet in 

 length. 1 have known of such holes being made in the green wood of 

 living trees. The enei-gy of woodpeckers is exuberant, and there are 

 few birds more interesting to watch. 



Next in size comes the grey-headed woodpecker {Gccinits canus). 

 This is a very common bird', occuring in every locality. It seems to be 

 non-migratory for it may be seen at all times of the year. Considering 



