720 PICULET—PIE 
the Antillean Subregion excepted, and even extending into Mexico, 
which according to most zoo-geographers is “ Nearctic,”’—while the 
number of forms inhabiting the tropical portion is vastly greater 
than that of those now existing within “ Patagonian ” limits, however 
liberally the last may be regarded,—this Family will very likely 
prove eventually to belong to the more ancient population of the 
continent. These forms are essentially of identical nature, but 
exhibit many and some extreme modifications of structure, a fact 
which furnishes a strong argument in favour of the antiquity of the 
original stock. As might be expected, their differences correspond 
with much diversity of habit, some of the forms living on the most 
sterile uplands, others in the thickest forests, others in reed-beds 
and others again on the sea-shore. 
PICULET, the name apparently first assigned in 1845 by G. 
R. Gray! (Gen. B. ii. p. 432) to birds of the subfamily Picumninz, 
composed according to Mr. Hargitt (Cat. B. Br. Mus. xviii. 
pp. 8, 521-559) of 4 genera—Picumnus with 33 species, of 
which 31 are Neotropical and 2 Indian; Nesoctites with a 
single species peculiar to Hispaniola; Verreauzia, also with one 
species, confined to the Gaboon country ; and Sasia, with 3 species, 
ranging from Nepal through the Malay peninsula to Borneo. 
They are all of small size and thorough WOODPECKERS in habit and 
appearance, but having the tail short, soft and rounded. The 
geographical distribution of the whole subfamily, and especially of 
Picumnus proper, as above stated, points to its antiquity, and 
interest in the group is enhanced by the fact that Sasia has got rid 
of its hallux, thus affording a case parallel to that of Picoides among 
the Picinx or true Woodpeckers. 
PIE (French, Pie,? in Scotland Piet) or more commonly Magpie, 
the prefix being the abbreviated form of a human name (Margaret *) 
applied as in so many other instances to familiar animals, as this 
bird once was throughout Great Britain, though of late years almost 
extirpated in many parts, and now nearly everywhere scarce. Its 
pilfering habits have led to this result, yet the injuries it causes 
are unquestionably exaggerated by common report; and in many 
countries of Europe it is still the tolerated or even the cherished 
1 Possibly adapted from the ‘‘ Picule” of Isid. Geoffroy-St. Hilaire (VV. Am. 
Mus. 1832, p. 896). Before him Temminck had used the word ‘‘ Picwmne.” 
2 The ‘‘ French Pie” of many parts of England is the Great-Spotted or Pied 
WoovPeEcKER of authors. When the Linnzan system came to be known in this 
country the word ‘‘ Pie” was often used in a general sense as a rendering of Pica, 
the name of one of his Orders of Birds. 
3 “Magot” and ‘‘Madge,” with the same origin, are names frequently 
given in England to the Pie; while in France it is commonly known as Margot, 
if not termed, as it is in some districts, Jaquette. 
