:^28 



SCA-NSORES. 



SUB-FAMILY V. 

 Melanerpix.e.'^ The Black Woodpeckers. 



G-Eif. Charac. — I3ill more or less lonjj, compressed, and the lateral ridge 

 placed nearly hall-way between the culmen and lateral margin. 



Fig. 134. — the busty melanerpes. 

 (Melanerpes rubiginosus.) 



These birds are found botli in Nortli and South 

 America. They are seen in the woods^ the orchards, 

 and even on the fences in the neighbourhood of 

 houses. Their chief food consists of insects, but 

 they commit great devastation on fruits, berries, and 

 Indian corn, and are said to enter dovecots for the 



* fxtXag, fiiXavog, melas, melanos, black ; tpTrw, herpo, to creep. 



