Species VII. PICUS PUBESCENS. 



DOWNY WOODPECKER. 



[Plate IX. Fig. 4.] 



Picus puhescens, Linn. Sysl. i., 175, 15. — G.mel. Syst. i., 435. — Petit Pic. varie de 

 Virginie, Buffon, vii., 76. — Smallest Woodpeckei-, Catesb. i., 21. — Arct. Zool. 

 II., No. 165.— Li7«e Woodpecker, Lath. Si/n. ii., 573, 19. Id. Sup. 109. 



This is the smallest of our Woodpeckers, and so exactly resembles 

 the former in its tints and markings, and in almost everything, except 

 its diminutive size, that I wonder how it passed through the Count de 

 Buffon's hands, without being branded as " a spurious race, degenerated 

 by the influence of food, climate, or some unknown cause." But though 

 it has escaped this infamy, charges of a much more heinous nature have 

 been brought against it, not only by the writer above-mentioned, but by 

 the whole venerable body of zoologists in Europe, who have treated 

 of its history, viz. that it is almost constantly boring and digging into 

 apple-trees ; and that it is the most destructive of its whole genus to 

 the orchards. The first part of this charge I shall not pretend to deny ; 

 how far the other is founded in truth will appear in the sequel. Like 

 the two former species, it remains with us the whole year. About the 

 middle of May, the male and female look out for a suitable place for 

 the reception of their eggs and young. An apple, pear or cherry tree, 

 often in the near neighborhood of the farm-house, is generally pitched 

 upon for this purpose. The tree is minutely reconnoitred for several 

 days, previous to the operation, and the work is first begun by the male, 

 who cuts out a hole in the solid wood, as circular as if described with a 

 pair of compasses. He is occasionally relieved by the female, both 

 parties working with the most indefatigable diligence. The direction 

 of the hole, if made in the body of the tree, is generally downwards, 

 by an angle of thirty or forty degrees, for the distance of six or eight 

 inches, and then straight down for ten or twelve more ; within roomy, 

 capacious, and as smooth as if polished by the cabinet-maker ; but the 

 entrance is judiciously left just so large as to admit the body of the 

 owner. During this labor, they regularly carry out the chips, often 

 strewing them at a distance to prevent suspicion. This operation some- 

 times occupies the chief part of a week. Before she begins to lay, the 

 female often visits the place, passes out and in, examines every part, 

 both of the exterior and interior, with great attention, as every pru- 



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