99 



.SCANSORES. 



SUBFAMILY I J. 



PiCUMNfX.E. 



The riculets. 



Gen. Chaeac— Bill short, straifj;ht, the sides compressed towards the tip, 

 which is rather acute ; the gonys of the lower mandible lengthened, and 

 advancing upwards ; and the tail short, with the tip of each feather broad 

 and round. 



//;\'*<\ 0^ 



'^^tC/z/Ssiv//^^' 



Fig. 131.— the pigmy pfcumnus. 

 {Picumniis 2^ijf/>ncBHi<.) 



These little birds inhabit tlie forests of South 

 America and India. They are seen perched singly 

 or in pairs on small trees, firmly grasping them with 

 their toes. They possess the power of leaping from 

 one branch to another, but they do not usually 

 employ their tail in supporting themselves on the 

 trunks, as is the case with the true Woodpeckers. 

 They build their nest in rotten trunks of trees, in 



