500 



NORTH AMKlilCAX BIRDS. 



Genus PICUS, Lins^us. 



Picus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1748. (Type, Picus martins, L.) 



Gen. Char. Bill equal to the head, or a little longer ; the lateral ridges conspicuous, 



starting about the middle of the 

 base of the bill ; the basal 

 elongated oval ' nostrils nearest 

 the commissure ; the ridges of 

 the culmen and gonys acute, 

 and very nearly straight, or 

 slightly convex towards the 

 tip ; the bill but little broader 

 than high at the base, becoming 

 compressed considerably before 

 the middle. Feet much as in 

 CajnjyejMlus ; the outer pos- 

 terior toe longest ; the outer 

 anterior about intermediate 

 between it and the inner an- 

 Ficus vniosiis. terior ; the inner posterior 



reaching to the base of the claw 

 of the inner anterior. Tarsus about equal to the inner anterior toe ; shorter than the 

 two other long toes. Wings rather long, reaching to the middle of the tail, rather rounded ; 

 the fourth and fifth quills longest ; the quills rather broad and rounded. 



In the genus Picus, as characterized above, are contained several sub- 

 divisions more or less entitled to distinct rank, and corresponding with 

 peculiar patterns of coloration. Tims, taking the P. villosus as the type, P. 

 horealis has proiiortionally niucli longer primaries ; the spurious primary 

 smaller ; the bill is considerably more attenttated, and even concave in its 

 lateral outlines. Tlie wings are still longer in P. alholarvatus. The species 

 may be arranged as follows : — 



A. Black above, and white liencath. Wings spotted with white ; a black 

 maxillary stripe. 



a. Two white stripes on the side of the head, one above, and the other 

 below, the ear-covert.s, which are mostly black. First quill shorter than 

 sixth. Tail-feathers broad and obtuse at end.s. the narrowed tips of middle 

 feathers vrry sliort. 



DRYOBATES, DdiK. Middle of back streaked longitudinally and con- 

 tinuously with white. Maxillary and auricular black stripes not con- 

 fluent ; the latter running into the black of the nape. Beneath white 

 without spots. Red of head confined to a narrow nuchal band. 



1. P. villosus. Outer tail-feathers immaculate white, great va- 

 riation in .size with latitude. Length, 7.00 to 10.00. 



All the quill.s, with middle and greater wing-coverts, with 

 large white spot,?. Ilah. Eastern North America . var. villosus. 



Innermost quills and some of the coverts entirely black, 

 or unspotted with white. Remaining spots reduced in size. 



