380 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



This northern bird is a rare winter visitor to the extreme northern 

 portion of the State. According to Mr. Nelson (page 115 of his 

 catalogue), "a specimen was shot from a telegraph pole in Chicago 

 a few years ago by Dr. Velie." Mr. Nelson also states that it is a 

 common species in northern Wisconsin, "and before the pines along 

 the lake were destroyed, was probably a; regular winter visitant." 



Genus SPHYRAPICUS Baikd. 



Spfiyrapicits Baied, Birds N. Am. 1858, 101. Type, Picas varius Linn. 



"Gen. Chae. Bill as in Picks, but the lateral ridge, which is very prominent, run- 

 ning out distiuctly to the commissure at about the middle, beyond which the bill is 

 rounded without any angles at all. The culmen and gonys are very nearly straight, but 

 slightly convex, the bill tapering rapidly to a point; the lateral outline concave to very 

 near the slightly beveled tip. Outer pair of toes longest; the hinder exterior rather 

 longest; the inner posterior too very short, less than the inner anterior without its claw. 

 Wings loug and pointed; the third, excluding the spurious, longest. Tail-leathers very 

 broad, abruptly acuminate, with a very long linear tip. Tongue scarcely extensible." 

 iHist. N. Am. B.) 



This is a very strongly marked genus, of which but a single 

 species occurs east of the Eocky Mountains. In the West, however, 

 occur three others, one of which (-S. thyroideiis) is perhaps the most 

 beautiful of North American Woodpeckers, wbile it is further re- 

 markable on account of the great difference in color between the 

 sexes — a difference probably wholly exceptional in this family. 



Sphyrapicus varius (Linn.) 



YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. 



Popular synonyms. Ked-throated Sapsueker; Squealing or Whining Sapsucker. 



J>icus varius Ltnn. S. N. ed. 12, i , 17C6, 176.— WiLS. Am. Orn. i, 1808, 147, pi. 9. tig. 2.— Nutt. 

 Man. i,1832, .OT.-AuD. Orn. Biog. ii,1834, 519; v,1839. 537, pi. 190; Synop. 1839, 182; B. 

 Am. iv, 1842,203, pi. 267. 

 Sphy7-apicus varius 'BATRTt, B. N.Am. 1858, 103; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 85.— CouES, 

 Key, 1872, 195; Check List, 1874, No. 302; 2d ed.lSi2, No. 446; B.N. W. 1874, 285. iavarius.) 

 — B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874, 539, pi. Sl.flgs. 1,2.— RiDGW. Nora. N. Am. B. 1881, 

 No. 369. 



Hab. Eastern North America, north to at least 61°, in the interior, breeding from 

 northern United States northward. (Replaced in the Eocky Mountain district by S. 

 nuchalis, and along Pacific coast by S. ru ( e. '.) 



