PICID.E — PICIX.E : WOODPECKERS. 



591 



Fig. 404. — Tellow-belUed Woodpecker, nat. size. (Ad. nat. 

 del. E. C.) 



S. va'rius. (Lat. varius, variegated. Fig. 404.) Yellow-bellied AVoodpecker. Red- 

 THKOATED Sapsucker. Squealer. Crowu crimsdu, bordered all arouud witli black ; chin, 

 throat, and breast black, enclosing a large crimi^ou patch on the former (in (J; in 9 this patch 

 white) ; sides of head with a white line 

 starting from nasal feathers and dividing 

 black of throat fnjm a transocular black 

 stripe, this separated from black of crown 

 by a white postocular stripe; all tliese 

 stripes frequently yellowish. Under parts 

 dingy yellow, brownish and with sagittate 

 dusky marks on sides. Back variegated 

 with black and yellowish. Wings black 

 with a large oblique white bar on coverts ; 

 quills with numerous paired white spots 

 on edges of both webs. Tail black, most 

 of the feathers white-edged ; inner webs 

 of the middle pair, and upper coverts, 

 mostly white. Bill brownish ; feet green- 

 ish-plumbeous ; iris brown. Young birds 

 lack definite black areas of head and 

 breast, and crimson throat-patch, these parts being mottled gray ; but in any plumage the bird 

 is recognized by its yellotcness, diflercnt from what is seeu iu any other eastern species, and 

 broad white wing-bar, to say nothing of generic characters. Length 8.25-8.75; extent 15.00- 

 IG.OO; wing 4.80-5.20; tail 3.25. Eastern X. Am., common in most U. S. localities, as either 

 summer resident or migratory; in the interior X. to Gl^ or farther, X. W. to the borders of British 

 Columbia; in the U. S. west to the Dakotas, Xebraska, Kansas, Indian Territory, and Texas; 

 S. in winter from Virginia to Central Am. and the West Indies : accidental in Greenland. The 

 Sapsucker breeds throughout the greater part of its X. Am. range, S. in the mountains of Xortii 

 Carolina and Tennessee; eggs 5-7, about 0.87 X 0.07, varying at least 0.10 in length; they 

 are mostly laid late in May and early in June. The hyoid bones are the sliortest of those 

 of any X. Am. species; the tongue is protrusible only about ^ inch beyond bill. This is the 

 true Sajisucker, which injures the orchardist, and brings the beneficial species of Dri/ohates 

 into disrepute. 



S. V. nueha'lis. (Lat. »»c/io/i'.s, pertaining to «»c7io, the nape ; not classic.) XucHAL Wdod- 

 PECKEK. Ked-naped Sap.sicker. Like the last ; with an additional band of scarlet on 

 nape (where the white is seldom even tinged with red in <S'. varii(s) ; red throat-patch invading 

 the surrounding black, and 9 "'itli this patch at least iu part red ; all the yellowish variega- 

 tion very pale, almost white on belly (where varius is yellowest) : bill slaty-black (not brown- 

 ish). Rocky Mt. region, U. S., and British Provinces, W. to Sierras and Cascades; S. into 

 Mi'xico and Lower California; casually to Kansas and southern California. In S. rarius red 

 rarely spreads on uajje, and 9 seldom has any on throat. In S. r. nuchalis this extension ot 

 red is a stej) which culminates in S. ruber. The general habits, nest, and eggs are the same as 

 those of <S'. varius. 



S. ruber. (Lat. r?<&er, red.) Red-brea.stei) Woodpecker. Adult ^9= Lik«^ tl •' ''^^t. 

 but whole head, neck, and breast carmine or crimson, in which the markings of rnrtus are 

 more or less completely dissolved, though usually traceable; iu the young, gray with a dull 

 reddish suffusion, as if the head had been dipped in claret wine. Size of the hist. Pacific Cojist 

 region, from S. Alaska to X. Lower California, and E. of the Ca.«cade range iu Oregon, W;uih- 

 iuL'ton. and British Columbia, resident southcriy, mi^'ratory northerly, altundant, especially iu 

 coniferous woods- A remarkable extreme, long supposed to be pt-rfectly distinct; the ^ now 



