226 NOTES ON THE 



Reports of their presence, come from every portion of the 

 wooded sections of the State heard from, which I have not per- 

 sonally visited. Dr. Hvoslef at Lanesboro, Prof. Herrick at 

 Lake Shetak, Rev. Mr. Laurie at Duliith, Mr. Washbarn at 

 Mille Lacs, and in Otter Tail County, where he says; "Exceed- 

 ingly common, and permanent residents." He further states 

 that he "found it at Georgetown, Ada, and at St. Vincent." 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Wilsons' specific description of this common species is the 

 only one I have ever seen, and I but follow an almost uniform 

 example in giving it as follows: — "The Hairy Woodpecker is 

 nine inches long, and fifteen in extent; crown black; line over 

 and under the eye white; the eye is placed in a black line that 

 widens as it descends to the back; hind head scarlet, some- 

 times intermixed with black; nostrils hid under remarkably 

 thick, bushy, recumbent hairs, or bristles; under the bill are 

 certain long hairs thrown forward and upward; bill bluish 

 horn color, grooved, wedged at the end, straight and about 

 an inch and a quarter long; touches of black proceeding from 

 the lower mandible, end in a broad black stripe that joins the 

 black on the shoulder; back black, divided by a broad, lateral 

 stripe of white, the feathers composing which, are loose and 

 unwebbed, resembling hairs, whence its name; rump and 

 shoulders black; wings black tipped and spotted with white, 

 three rows of spots being visible on the secondaries, and five 

 on the primaries; greater wing coverts also spotted with white; 

 tail as in the others, cuneiform, consisting of ten strong shaf- 

 ted 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 mouth, flesh colored; 

 tongue pointed, beset with barbs and capable of being pro- 

 truded more than an inch and a half; the oshyodes in this 

 species, passes on each side of the neck, ascends the skull, 

 passes down toward the nostril, and is wound round the bone 

 of the right eye. which projects considerably more than the 

 left, for its accomodation. The great mass of hairs that cover 

 the nostril, appears to be designed as a projection to the front 

 of the head, when the bird is engaged in digging holes into 

 the wood." 



This species, in common with two or three ofchers of the fam- 

 ily, is popularly credited with sucking the sap of fruit and 

 ornamental trees, which, however, has been abundantly dis- 

 proved, but not until the name sajjsucker became a common 

 aj)pellation. If there had been any just ground for the ungra- 

 cious charge, it should not fall upon this species, on account of 



