BIRDS —PICIDAE — CAMPEPHILUS PEINCIPALIS. 81 



the end of the bill, is like Picus, hut the nostrils are broader, more open, and not acute ante- 

 riorly. The tail feathers of Sphyrapiciis differ greatly from those of the others in being abruptly 

 acuminate, the points elongated, narrow, and nearly linear, instead of being gently cuneate at 



the ends. 



CAMPEPHILUS, Gray. 



Campephilus, Gray, List of Genera? 1840, (typ. C principalis.) 

 Megapicus, Malherbe, Mem. Ac. de Metz, 1849, 317. 



Bill considerably longer than the head, much depressed, or broader than high at the base, 

 becoming somewhat compressed near the middle and gradually bevelled off at the tip. Culmen 

 very slightly curved, gonys as concave, the curve scarcely appreciable ; commissure straight. 

 Culmen with a parallel ridge on each side, starting a little above the centre of the basal outline 

 of the bill, the ridge projecting outwards and downwards, and a slight concavity between it and 

 the acute ridge of the culmen. Gonys considerably more than half the commissure. Nostrils 

 oval below the lateral ridge near the base of the bill ; concealed by the bristly feathers directed 

 forward. Similar feathers are seen at the sides, and base beneath the lower jaw. 



Feet large ; outer hind toe much longest ; claw of inner fore toe reaching to middle of outer 

 fore claw ; inner hind toe scarcely more than half the outer one ; its claw reaching as far as the 

 base of the inner anterior claw, considerably more than half the outer anterior toe. Tarsus 

 rather shorter than the inner fore toe. Tail long, cuneate. Wings long and pointed, the third, 

 fourth, and fifth quills longest. Color continuous black, relieved by white patches. Head with 

 a pointed crest. 



This genus embraces the largest known species of woodpecker, and is confined to America. 

 The two usually assigned to the United States may readily be distinguished by the following 

 diagnosis : 



Common characters. — Bill ivory white. Body entirely black. A scapular stripe and under 

 wing coverts white. Crest scarlet in the male. 



A white stripe on each side of the neck. Bristly feathers at the base of the bill 



white principalis. 



No white stripe on the sides of the neck. More white on the wings. Bristly feathers 

 at the base of the bill black imperialis. 



CAMPEPHILUS PKINCIPALIS, Gray. 

 Ivory-billed Woodpecker. 



Picus principalis, 'Litin- Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 173.— Wilson, Am. Orn. IV, 1811,20; pi. xxxi.x, K 6 Wagler, 



Syst.Avium, 1827, No. 1.— Add. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 341 : V, 525 ; pl.66.— Ib. Birds America, 

 IV, 1842,214; pi. 256. 



Dendrocopus principalis, 'Boa. Lbt, 1838. 



Campephilus principalis, Gray, List Genera, 1840. 



Dryotomus (Megapicus) principalis, Bon. Con. Zyg. Aten. Ital. 1854, 7. 



Dryocopus principalis, Bon. Consp. 1850, 132. 



IFhite-billed woodpecker, Catesbt, Car. I, 16. — Pennant, Latham. 



Sp. Oh. — Fourth and 6fth quills equal ; third a little shorter. Bill horn white. Body entirely of a glossy blue black, 

 (glossed with green below ;) a white stripe beginning half an inch posterior to the commissure, and passing down the sides 

 of the neck. Under wing coverts, and the entire exposed portion of the secondary quills, with ends of the inner primaries, 

 bristles, and a short stripe at the base of the bill, white. Crest scarlet. Length, 21 inches ; wing, 10. 



Female similar, without any red on the head, and with two spots of white on the end of the outer tail feather. 



Hob . — Southern Atlantic and Gulf States. 

 11 b 



