3(6 PIC us PUBESCENS. 



PICUS PUBESCENS. 



Downy Woodpecker. 



Picus pubescenx Lixx.. Sy^'t. X;it., 1; 17GG, 15. 



DEiCKIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Fonn, not robust. Size, small. Stornuui, not very stout. Tongue, ratlier thin am! horny at the tip which 

 is provided with barbs for one third of the terminal length. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of the length of 

 the tongue. Terminal hook of scapula, angled above and below. 



Color. Adult mak. Glossy black above, in'--luding sides of head and tlie line extending down on to the sides, witli 

 the bristly feathers at base of bill, line e.\ten<rmg from just in front of eye, inclosing it, and reaching occiput, line from the 

 base of l)ill, running down sides of neck, broad line along middle of back, spots on outer wc))s of wing feathers, all hut ba- 

 sal portion of three outer tail feathers, and tips of next pair, white; but the white of the tail is more or less barred with 

 black. Crescent-shaped mark on the occiput, scarlet. Under portion, including under wing and tail coverts, yellowish- 

 white. 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but lacks the scarlet on the head which is replaced by white, and the white on the 



tail is not as extended. 



Younrj. There is a decidedly sulphury tinge to the white markings, and the inner white tail feathers are almost en- 

 tirely black, m both sexes and, in the male, the scarlet patch on the occiput is more restricted; otherwise similar to the 



adult. 



Ncstlincj male. Very much tinged on the white with sulphury, the forehead is black, occasionally spotted with white, 

 and tlie top of the head i-: covered with scarlet, but there is a white line cra«sing the occiput. 



Ncsllin'i female. Similar to Hie inab, but usually has the forehead spotted with white and the top of the head is 

 black. A specimen before me, an undoubted f jmale of my owti dissecting, has the feathers on the top of the head slightly 

 tipped with scarlet. Iris, reddish-brown, bill, blajk, bluish at base of lower mandible, and feet, buLsh, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



As in tlic precediu!; species, specimens from the South, although smaller in size, do not differ strickingly in coh r, for 

 tlicre is considerable variaticm in this respect in birds from all sections. The nestling plumage is worn but a short time, es- 

 lieciallv the scarlet on t!ie head which is soon replace.! by tlie normal color. The Uaiiy and Downy \Voodp,o< kci-s may be 

 distin ruislicd fmiu all otliciN which occur within our limits by t!ie broad white line down the back. The Downy may be 

 known from the Il.iiry, n;it only by the sm.iUcr size, Imt also by t!ie banded white on t!ie tail. Distributed, as a constant 

 rcsi 1,'nt, ihrougliout North America. 



DDIENSIONS. 



Avenigc .ncasuremcnts of fourteen specimens from New England. Length, 6-90; stretch, UCH; wing, 3/0: tail, -2 -If); 

 bill. -(iT; ta;-SLis, Kfl. bmgest specimen, liry. grea>-sl extent of wing, 1-2-25; longest wing, ;?!)(>; tail, 2-85; bill, -70: tar- 

 -U-. •!)». Shortest specimen, LTj: smallest extent of wing, 10-92; shortest wing, S'oO; tail, S-IO; l,ill, -55: tarsus, -TO. 



Average measurements of five specimens from Florida. Length, 6-30; stretch, ll-4(). wing, 3-00; tail, 2-17; bill, "67; 

 tai-sus, -(iSr Longest sjiecimen, O-.W; greatest extent of wing, 1180; longest wing, 3-80; tail, 2-30; bill, -70; tai-sus, -70. 

 Shorttit specimen, fllO; smallest extent of wing, H'OO; shortest wing, 3-10; tail, -im; bill, OS; Uirsus, -55. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



A'c.sZ.?, placed in cylinder-shaped holes, generally excavated in dead trees. Dimensiims, diameter of external orihcc, 

 l-.'in, greatest internal, S-.W. Internal de[ith, 1000. 



E;j<js, four <ir live in number, elliptical in form, ]iurc, polished pearly-white in color. Dimensions from -.OOx '0.0 to 

 •5.5 X -70. 



HABITS. 



I hav(! saia, or rather intimated, elsewhere tbat the Wooclpeokors, as a class, wore 

 cmlowed with a .superabundance of energy but there are none among them all wliicli dis- 

 play such an amount of nervous activity as the little Downy. Always busy; now cHimIi- 

 spirally up the huge bole of some old elm, pausing a second to give a (|uiclv tap on tlio 

 bark; then, as the peculiar .sound inrorms them that the wood is solid, tliey will utt;'r th( ir 



