BIKDS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 129 



PICID.'E, — The Woodpeckers. 



126. Picus villosus, Linn. — Hairy Woodpecker. Resi- 

 dent ; but not common in winter, and rare in summer. I 

 am confident that the specimens of this and the follow- 

 ing species seen in winter do not come from the far north, 

 or even from northern Maine and New Hampshire, for this 

 reason : specimens shot in the sections above mentioned 

 have the white terminal portion of the tail stained by the 

 bark of the hemlock and other evergreen trees, upon which 

 they climb in search of food, with an indelible, bright 

 rufous or ochre color; this color is never seen on speci- 

 mens taken here, even during severe winters. They must 

 be resident individually by this infallible proof 



127. Picus pubescens, Linn. — Doivny Woodjoec/cer. 

 Resident. Abundant throughout the winter, not uncom- 

 mon in sunnner. 



128. Picoides aicticuB, Gray. — Black-had-ed Three- 

 toed Woodpecker. Exceedingly rare winter visitor. There 

 are a male and female in the museum of the Peabody 

 Academy of Science, at Salem, taken on November 21, 

 1855, in Essex County, by S. Jillson. 



129. Picoides hirsutus, Gray. — Banded Three4oed 

 Woodpecker. Exceedingly rare winter visitor. ]\Ir. Allen 

 informs me that Mr. G. 0. Welch took a pair in Lynn. 



130. Sphyrapicus varius, Baird. — Yelhno-hellied 

 Woodpecker. J^Tot '^ommon^ during the migratujnir' l^re'- 

 quents open woods. I do not think it breeds. 



. 131. Melanei-pes erythrocephalus, Swain. ^7?eJ- 

 headed Woodpecker. ; Exceedingly rare summer visitor, per- 

 haps accidental. I have never seen it living. A male 

 taken by S. Jillson, in Essex County, in 1855. One seen 

 by Mr. W. Brewster, in summer, at Waltham. ) 



132. Colaptes auratus, SwAm. — Golden-tvinr/ed Wood- 

 6* , 



