PICID^ — THE WOODPECKERS. 



495 



Feet large ; outer hind toe much longest ; claw of inner fore too reaching to miiklle of 

 outer fore claw ; inner hind toe scarcely more than lialf the outer one ; its claw reaching 

 as far as the base of the inner anterior claw, considerably more than half the outer 

 anterior toe. Tarsus rather shorter than the inner fore toe. Tail long, cuneate ; shafts 

 of the four middle feathers abruptly much larger than the others, and with a deep groove 



Campephilus principalis. 



running continuously along their under surface ; webs of the two middle feathers 

 deflected, almost against each other, so that the feathers appear narrower at the base 

 than terminally. Wings long and pointed, the third, fourth, and fifth quills longest ; 

 sixth secondary longest, leaving six " tertials," instead of three or four as usual ; primaries 

 long, attenuated. Color continuous blaclc, relieved by white patches. Head with a 

 pointed occipital crest. 



This genus embraces the largest known kind of Woodpecker, and is con- 

 fined to America. Of the two species usually assigned to it, only one occurs 

 within the limits of tlie United States, C. impcrialis, given by Audubon, 

 and liy subsequent authors on his credit, really belonging to Sotithern Mexico 

 and r'entral America. Tlie diagnoses of the species are as foUows : — 



