378 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Dryobates pubescens (Linn.) 



DOWNY WOODPECKER 



Popular synonyms. Little Sapsucker; Little Guinea- Woodpecker. 

 Picus pubescens LINN. S. N. ed. 12, 1, 1766, 175. WILS. Am. Orn. i, 1808, 153, pi. 9, fig. 4. 

 NUTT. Man. i. 1832, 576. AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834. 81; v. 1839, 539, pi. 112; Synop. 1839. 

 180; B. Am. iv, 249. pi. 263. T BAIBD, B. N. Am. 1858. 89; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 76. 

 COUBS, Key. 1872, 194; Check List, 1874. No. 299; 2d ed. 1882, No. 440; B. N. W. 1874. 

 282 (a. pubescens). B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874. 509. pi. 49, figs. 6, 7. Rnmw. 

 Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 301. 



Picus (Dendrocopus) pubescens Sw. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 307. 

 Pious (Dendrocopus) medianus Sw. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 308 (New Jersey). 



Picus medianus NUTT. Man. ii. 1834, 601. 

 Picus (Dendrocopus) meridionalis Sw. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 308 (Georgia). 



HAS. Eastern and northern North America, resident throughout; northwest to Alas- 

 ka, including nearly the whole of that country, or from the Yukon Valley to Kodiak. 

 (Replaced in the western United States and British Columbia by D. pubescens gairdneri.) 

 "Sp. CHAB. A miniature of P. villosus. Above black, with a white band down the 

 back. Two white stripes on the side of the head; the lower of opposite sides always 

 separated behind, the upper sometimes confluent on the nape. Two stripes of black on 

 the side of the head, the lower not running into the forehead. Beneath white; all the 

 middle and greater coverts and all the quills with white spots, the larger coverts with 

 two series each; tertiaries or inner secondaries all banded with white. Two outer tail- 

 feathers white, with two bands of black at end; third white at tip and externally; crissum 

 sometimes spotted with black. Length about 6.25; wing, 3.75. Male with red terminat- 

 ing the white feathers on the nape. Young with whole top of head red." (Hist. N. 

 Am. B.) 



This, the smallest of our woodpeckers, is almost a perfect minia- 

 ture of D. villosus, and is of very similar habits. It is rather more 

 numerous, however, especially in summer. 



GENUS PICOIDES LAC&P&VT&. 



Picoides LACBP. Mem. Inst. 1801, 509. Type Picus tridactylus LINN. 



"GEN. CHAB. Bill about as long as the head, very much depressed at the base; the 

 outlines nearly straight, the lateral ridge at its base much nearer the commissure than 

 the culmen, so as to bring the large, rather linear nostrils close to the edge of the com- 

 missure. The gony s very long, equal to the distance from the nostrils to the tip of the 

 bill. Feet with only three toes, the first or inner hinder one being wanting; the outer 

 lateral a little longer than the inner, but slightly exceeded by the hind toe, which is 

 about equal to the tarsus. Wings very long, reaching beyond the middle of the tail, the 

 tip of the first quill between those of sixth and seventh. Color black above, with a broad 

 patch of yellow on the crown*; white beneath, transversely banded on the sides. Quills, 

 but not wing-coverts, with round spots. Lateral tail-feathers white, without bands on 

 exposed portion, except in European species. 



"The peculiarities of this genus consist in the absence of the 

 inner hind toe and the great depression of the bill." 



The two species represented in eastern North America, differ as 

 follows : 



Except in female. 



