88 



ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY, 



a bluish horn-color, grooved, wedged at the end, straight, and about an inch and a 

 quarter long; touches of black, proceeding ft'om the lower mandible, end in a broad 

 black strip that joins the black on the shoulder; back black, divided by a broad, 

 lateral strip of white, the feathers composing which are loose and unwebbed, resem- 

 bling hairs, — whence its name ; rump and shoulders of the wing black ; wings black, 

 tipped and spotted with white, three rows of spots being visible on the secondaries 

 and tive on the primaries; greater wing coverts also spotted with white; tail, as in 

 the others, cuneiform, consisting of ten strong-shafted and pointed feathers, the four 

 middle ones black, the next partially white, the two exterior ones white, tinged at 

 the tip with a brownish burnt-color; tail coverts black; whole lower side pure-white; 

 legs, feet, and claws light-blue, the latter remarkably large and strong; inside of the 

 mouth flesh-colored; tongue pointed, beset with barbs, and capable of being pro- 

 truded more than tin inch and a half; the os hyoides, in this species, passes on each 

 side of the neck, ascends the skull, passes down towards the nostril, and is wound 

 round the bone of the right eye, which projects considerably more than the left for 

 its accommodation. The great mass of hairs that cover the nostril appears to be 

 designed as a protection to the front of the head, when the bird is engaged in digging 

 holes into the wood. The membrane which encloses the brain in this, as in all the 

 other species of woodpeckers, is also of extraordinary strength ; no doubt, to prevent 

 any bad elfects from violent concussion while the bird is employed in digging for 

 food. The female wants the red on the hind head, and the white below is tinged 

 with brownish." — Wilson. 



THE above description, as given by Wilson, is very full 

 and complete. This Woodpecker is a rather common 

 \^sitor in New England, in the spring, fall, and winter 



months, and is, to 

 some extent, a resi- 

 dent through the year. 

 Probably the greater 

 number retire to the 

 North in the breeding 

 season ; and those that 

 remain in the south- 

 ern districts of these 

 States most usually seek the woods for their summer 

 homes, and are, as a general thing, seldom met with 

 in the thickly settled districts. The flight is a waver- 

 ing, undulating one, like that of all the woodpeckers ; 

 consisting of a series of short vibrations of the wings, 

 followed by a downward, soaring movement, which is suc- 

 ceeded by another similar series. On alighting, the bird 



Skull and tongue of Woodpecker. 



