l?a EEPOET OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Adult female. — Similar, but sides, as well as an additional baud across the 

 belly, rufous. 



Nest a horizontal burrow in a sand bank six to seven feet deep ; eggs, five to 

 seven, pure white, 1.35 x 1.05. 



Common summer resident, or rarely resident. It has been reported 

 in winter as far north as Plainfield (Miller) and Morristown (Thur- 

 ber).^ Arrives March 14th (March 26th), departs November 1st. 



The Kingfisher is a conspicuous bird along the larger streams, as' 

 well as along the coast, where his loud rattling call may be heard as 

 he flies along ahead of us, alighting now and then on some dead tree, 

 post or telegraph wire. Mr. C. S. Shick (Auk, 1890, p. 328) states 

 that he found a nest in a hollow stump on Seven Mile Beach, which 

 he felt sure had been occupied by a pair of Kingfishers which had 

 frequented the vicinity all summer. 



The food of these birds consists entirely of fish, which they catch in 

 their powerful bills, diving into the water in pursuit of their prey. 



Order PICI. 

 Family PICID^. 



The Woodpeckers. 



The peculiarities of Woodpeckers are (1) their habit of perching 

 against the upright trunks of trees, for which purpose their tail 

 feathers are stiffened and sharp-pointed; (2) their strong chisel-like 

 bill and powerful barbed tongue, with which they dig into the wood 

 after boring insects or carve out their nest cavities; (3) their peculiar 

 arrangement of toes, two being directed forward and two backward, 

 a condition found among our other birds only in the Cuckoos. 



a. Wing over 9. Pileated Woodpecker, p. 182 



aa. Wing under 7. 



b. Under side of wing and tail and quills yellow. Flicker, p. 184 



hb. Wing, tail and quills not yellow, 

 c. More or less red on the throat. 



d. Entire head red, rest of under parts white. 



Red-headed Woodpecker, p. 183 

 dd. Throat and crown more or less red, breast black, belly yel- 

 lowish. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, p. 181 



' O. and O.. XI.. p. 91. 



