282 PICUS PUBESCENS, DOWNY WOODPECKER. " • 



op'ieus. Great as the variation of size is in this species, the minimum does not appear 

 to inosculate with the uiaxiuuiiu oi puhcucens. There is a constant gap between full- 

 grown birds of about an inch (i'. gairdneri being usually between seven and eight 

 inches) ; and, besides, the white tail-featliers of villosus, as against the barred ones of 

 2)uhcsc('ns, are perfectly distinctive. 



In the IVIissouri region, P. villosus proper is the prevailing type; only 

 mixing with or shiuling into the var. harrisii among the mountains. 

 The birds are very abundant in the timbered bottoms along the Mis- 

 souri, as at Fort Eaudall and elsewhere. My Randall examples are 

 pure villosus, of rather large size, averaging 9| or 9^ long, 10 or 17 in 

 extent, the wing 4f or 5. One was shot that had apparently broken its 

 leg, and the union at a considerable angle threw the foot outward ; not- 

 withstanding this, the bird was scrambling as actively as any one could. 

 This species is very noticeable among the few birds that endure the 

 rigor of winter on the Upper Missouri, apparently without the slightest 

 inconvenience. On entering the crackling, dry weed-patches of the bot- 

 tom, at such times the ear is often saluted with the shrill, startling 

 " quank " of the active bird, unseen in the low covert until, disturbed at 

 its meal in the snug retreat, it takes a long, swift swing up into the 

 nearest tree, or disappears in festoons further into the under-wood. 



PICUS PUBESCENS, Liuu. 

 Downy Woodpecker. 



a. puhescens. 



Picus piCbescem, LixN., Syst. Nat. i, 176(5, 175 (P. varius minimus, Gates,, 21; P. varius 

 rArqinianns minor, Briss., Orn. iv, 50). — Gm., i, 1788, 435.— Lath., Ind. Oru. i, 

 1790, ^S-^.— ViEiLL., Ois. Am. Sept. ii, 1807, 65, pi. 121.— Wils., Am. Orn. i, 1808, 

 153, pi. 9, f. 4.— STf:PH., Gen. Zool. ix, 170.— Vieill., Eucy. iii, 1311 ; Nouv. 

 Diet, xxvi, 82.— Bp.. Syn. 1828, 4G.— Less., Tr. Oru. 1831, 228.— Nutt., Man. i, 

 1832, 576.— Atjd., Orn.Biog. ii, 1834, 81 ; v, 1839, 539; pi. 112; Syn. 1839, 180; 

 B. Am. iv, 249, id. 263.— Bp., List, 1838, 39.— Gray, Gen. of B. ii, 435.— Bp., 

 Consp. i, 18.50, 138.— Reich., Hand-buch Sp. Orn. 374, pi. 638, fig. 4255-57.— Bd., 



274.— Sxow, B. Kans. 1873, 3.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 155.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. 

 ii, 1871, 304 ; iii, 1872, 180.— Finsch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, 60 (Alaska).— CouES, 

 Key, 1872,194, fig. 131.— Hart., Man. Br. Birds, 1872, 122 (England).— B. B. »& 

 R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 509, pi. 49, f. 6, 7 ; and of authors generally. 



Picm {Dendrocopns) puhescens, Sw., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 307. 



Triehopicus puhescens, Bp., Consp. Vol. Zygod. Ateneo Ital. 1854, 8. 



Trlehopipo puhescens, Cau. &. Heine, " Mus. Berol." 



Dryohales puhescens, Cab. & Heine., Mus. Hein. iv, 1863, 62. 



Pieus (Deudrocopus) mediunus, Sw., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 303 (New Jersey). 



Picus mediauus, NuTT., Man. ii, 1834, 601.— Gray, Geu. of B. ii, 435.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 

 138.— Reich., Hand-buch Sp. Orn. 375.— Malii., Mou. I'ic. i, 122.— Gray, Hand- 

 list, ii, 1870, 184, No. 8594. 



Triehopicus mediauus, Bp., Consp. Vol. Zygod. 1854, 8. 



Picus {Deudrocopus) meridioualis, Sw., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 303 (Georgia). 



Picas meridioualis, Gray, Gen. of B. ii, 43.5.— Bp., Consp. i, 1650, 138.— Reich., Hand- 

 buch Sp. Orn. 375. — Malii. , Mou. Pic. i, 124. — Gray, Hand-list, ii, 184, No. 8505. 



Triehopicus meridionaUs, Bp., Consp. Vol. Zygod. Ateneo Ital. 1854, 8. 



Picus lecontei, Jones, Ann. Lye. N. Y. iv, 1848, 489, pi. 17 (malformed specimen, lacking 

 hallux). 



Tridachjlia (!) lecontei, Bp., Consp. Zygod. 1854, 8 (made type of a genus!) 



Picoides (!) lecontei, Malh., Mon. Pic. i, 132, pi. 40, f. 7. 



b. gairdneri. 



Picm gairdneri, Aw., Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 317; Syn. 1839,180; B. Am. iv, 1842, 252.— 

 Reich., Hand-buch Sp. Orn. 375.— Malh., Mon. Pic. i, 123.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 

 91, pi. 85, tig. 2, 3.— Heerm., P. R. R. Rep. x, pt. vi, 57.— Coop. & Sucic, N. H. 

 Wash. Ter. 1860, 159.— Cass., Pr, Phila. Acad. 1863, 201.— Lokd, Pr. Roy. Arty. 



