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THE HAIRY WOODPECKER. 87 
Famity PICIDA. Tue Woopreckers. 
Sub-Family Picrwz. 
Although all the woodpeckers have a certain resemblance to each other, and 
agree more or less in habits, there are distinctions among them which serve readily 
for division into sub-genera, genera, or even higher groups. Thus, the difference 
between the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the common Flicker, which may be taken 
as representing the extremes of the scale in North-American species, will be palpable 
to any observer. 
In the woodpeckers inhabiting the United States, there are three distinct groups, 
which may be taken, with some authors, as so many sub-families; or if, with Bona- 
parte, we unite all the Picide with stiffened, acuminate, and pointed tails into a sub- 
family Picine, they will constitute so many separate sections. They may be severally 
characterized as follows : — 
Picin& or Picee. — Bill more or less long; the outlines above and below nearly 
straight; the ends truncated; a prominent ridge on the side of the mandible, spring- 
ing from the middle of the base or a little below, and running out either on the 
commissure, or extending parallel to and a little above it, to the end; sometimes 
obliterated or confluent with the lateral bevel of the bill; nostrils considerably over- 
hung by the lateral ridge, more or less linear, and concealed by thick bushy tufts of 
feathers at the base of the bill; outer posterior toe generally longer than the anterior. 
MELANERPINE or Centureew.— Bill rather long; the outlines, that of the culmen 
especially, decidedly curved. The lateral ridge much nearest the culmen, and, 
though quite distinct at the base, disappearing before coming to the lower edge of 
the mandible; not overhanging the nostrils, which are broadly oval, rounded an- 
teriorly, and not concealed by the bristly feathers at the base; outer pair of toes 
nearly equal, the anterior rather longer. 
CoLAPrin& or Colaptee.— Bill much depressed, and the upper outline much 
curved to the acutely pointed (not truncate) tip; the commissure considerably 
curved; bill without any ridges; the nostrils broadly oval, and much exposed; 
anterior outer toe longest. 
PICUS VILLOSUS, — Linneus.1 
The Hairy Woodpecker. 
Picus villosus, Linneus. Syst., 1.175. Bonap. Syn., 46, and others. 
DESCRIPTION. 
“The Hairy Woodpecker is nine inches long and fifteen in extent; crown 
black; line over and under the eye white; the eye is placed in a black line, 
that widens as it descends to the back; hind head scarlet, sometimes intermixed 
with black; nostrils hid under remarkably thick, bushy, recumbent hairs, or 
bristles; under the bill are certain long hairs thrown forward and upward; bill 
1 See p. 84, vol. IX., Pacific R.R. Reports. 
