OF ORNITHOLOGY 81 



FAMILY XXVI PICIDAE THE WOODPECKERS 



Latin incus, a woodpecker. 



The Woodpeckers constitute the last, really the first and 

 characteristic, family of this order. Familiar, as well as pe- 

 culiar, and universal, this group ])ossesses especial interest to 

 all lovers and observers of our birds. Few have received 

 more or more careful study and attention, or are more inter- 

 esting, than the Wood^'teckers. Various as have been the clas- 

 sifications of these writers the simplest, as is often the case, 

 have proved the best and ^ve have come back to them. One 

 family and a few genera serve well our purpose. Should we 

 enter into a careful review and revision of the field of past 

 and present systematists, it would occupy far too much space. 

 — And every one knows what a Woodpecker is. They are 

 found in all parts of the world (with one or two rare excep- 

 tions). Their food is largely insect life — principally larva, 

 or what the farmers often calls "^worms." The tappings 

 made in garden trees by these birds are usually made to se- 

 cure some concealed grub, which would otherwise damage the 

 tree much more if let alone. They appear to seldom touch or 

 injure a sound tree. The prejudice against them which some, 

 even very intelligent, farmers possess to-day is wrong and al- 

 most wholly unfounded. They are eminently beneficial. 



In general the features of the family are : feet disposed in 

 pairs, two being anterior and two posterior (zygodactyle) the 

 " fourth toe " being reversed ; tail feathers acuminate with 

 the shafts elastic and very stout, of twelve feathers, outer pair 

 very small ; wings of ten primary quills, the first being al- 

 most spurious ; tarsus and toes with scutelUe in front, more or 

 less reticulate behind — both tarsus and feet are, comparatively 

 speaking, short, small, and weak, yet possessing remarkable 

 strength and tenacity, the toes also are remarkably pliant, the 

 claws strong, sharp, much curved, and very tough ; the bill is 

 peculiar, being straight, stout, somewhat compressed, with an 

 awl-like, truncate tip, and is a veritable chisel. The special 

 study of this feature alone would be productive of much in- 



