Species X. PICUS CAROLINUS. 



RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 



[Plate VII. Fig. 2.] 



Picus Carolirms, Linn. Syst. i., 174, 10.— Pic varie de la Jamaique, Bcffon, vii., 

 12^ PI. Enl. 597. — Picus varius medius Jamaicensis, Sloan. Jam. 299, 15. — Ja- 

 maica Woodpecker, Edw. 244. — Catesb. i., 19, fig. 2. — Arct. Zool. ii., No. 161. — 

 Lath, Spi. ii., 570, 17. Id. 571, 17. A. Id. B.—Pic raye de la Louisiane, Buff. 

 VII., 73, PI. Enl. 692. 



This species possesses all the restless and noisy habits so characteris- 

 tic of its tribe. It is more shy, and less domestic, than the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker, (P. eryihroceflialus)., or any of the other spotted Wood- 

 peckers. It is also more solitary. It prefers the largest, high-timbered 

 woods, and tallest decayed trees of the forest ; seldom appearing near 

 the ground, on the fences, or in orchards, or open fields ; yet where the 

 trees have been deadened, and stand pretty thick, in fields of Indian 

 corn, as is common in new settlements, I have observed it to be very 

 numerous ; and have found its stomach sometimes completely filled with 

 that grain. Its voice is hoarser than any of the others ; and its usual 

 note, cliow., has often reminded me of the barking of a little lap-dog. 

 It is a most expert climber, possessing extraordinary strength in the 

 muscles of its feet and claws, and moves about the Ijody, and horizontal 

 limbs, of the trees, with equal facility in all directions. It rattles, like 

 the rest of the tribe, on the dead limbs, and with such violence as to be 

 heard, in still weather, more than half a mile ofi"; and listens to hear 

 the insects it has alarmed. In the lower side of some lofty branch, that 

 makes a considerable angle with the horizon, the male and female, in 

 conjunction, dig out a circular cavity for their nest, sometimes out of 

 the solid wood, but more generally into a hollow limb, twelve or fifteen 

 inches above where it becomes solid. This is usually performed early in 

 April. The female lays five eggs, of a pure white, or almost semi- 

 transparent ; and the young generally make their appearance towards 

 the latter end of May, or beginning of June, climbing up to the higher 

 parts of the tree, being as yet unable to fly. In this situation they are 

 fed for several days, and often become the prey of the Hawks. From 

 seeing the old ones continuing their caresses after this period, I believe 

 that they often, and perhaps always, produce two broods in a season. 

 During the greater part of the summer, the young have the ridge of the 



(189) 



