The Canadian Woodpeckers, 187 



female wants the red on the hind head ; and the white below is tinged with 

 brownish. The manner of flight of these birds has been already described 

 under a former species, as consisting of alternate risings and sinkings. The 

 Hairy Woodpeckers generally utter a loud, tremulous scream as they set off, 

 and when they alight. They are hard to kill ; and, like the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, hang by the claws, even of a single foot, as long as a spark of 

 life remains, before they drop. 



" This species is common at Hudson's Bay, and has lately been found 

 in England. Dr. Latham examined a pair which Vv^ere shot near Halifax, 

 in Yorkshire ; and, on comparing the male with one brought from North 

 America, could perceive no difference, but in a slight interruption of the red 

 that marked the hind head of the former ; a circumstance which I have 

 frequently observed in our own. The two females corresponded exactly." 



Picus PUBESCENS, (Linn.) The Downy Woodpecker. 



The Downy Woodpecker very much resembles the last described species, 

 both in habit and marking, but is always much smaller. Its length is six 

 inches and three quarters, and its extent twelve inches ; crown, black ; hind 

 head, deep scarlet ; strip over the eye, white ; nostrils thickly covered with 

 recumbent hairs, or small feathers, of a cream color ; these, as in the preceding 

 species, are thick and bushy, as if designed to preserve the forehead from 

 injury during the violent action of digging ; the back is black, and divided 

 by a lateral strip of white, loose, downy, unwebbed feathers ; wings, black, 

 spotted with white ; tail-coverts, rump, and four middle feathers of the tail, 

 black ; the other three on each side, white, crossed with touches of black ; 

 whole under parts, as well as the sides of the neck, white ; the latter marked 

 with a streak of black, proceeding from the lower mandible, exactly as in 

 the Hairy Woodpecker ; legs and feet, bluish green ; claws, light blue, 

 tipped with black ; tongue formed like that of the preceding species, horny 

 towards the tip, where, for one-eighth of an inch, it is barbed ; bill, of a 

 bluish horn color, grooved, and wedge-formed, like most of the genus ; eye, 

 dark hazel. The female wants the red on the hind head, having that part 

 white ; and the breast and belly are of a dirty white. 



The above seven species are all we have met with in the valley of the 

 Ottawa, but there are several others mentioned by authors as occurring in 

 Canada, which we have not seen. They are the following : — 



Picus Canadensis, (Gmel.) Canadian Woodpecker. 

 Fourth toe considerably longer than third ; fourth quill longest, fifth 

 longer than second ; bristly feathers over the nostrils dull yellow ; upper 

 part of head and hind neck, glossy black ; over the eye a band of white, 

 continuous with a transverse band of scarlet on the occiput, usually inter- 

 rupted in the middle ; a black band from near the bill to the eye, continued 

 behind it over the auriculars, and joining the back of the hind neck ; beneath 

 this a white band from the angle of the mouth, curving backwards below the 

 middle of the neck, so as to meet the other behind ; then a narrow band of 



