94 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part I, 



THE WOODPECKERS. 



THE WOODPECKERS, 



History. — This species is common 

 throughout the continent, from the tropic 

 to the 53d degree of north latitude. Du- 

 rincr the summer they confine themselves 

 principally to the forests, where they rear 

 their young in cavities e.-scavated in old 

 trees. Their eggs are white, and usually 

 4 or more. The cavity in which they rear 

 their young is often excavated to the 

 depth of from 15 to 24 inches in the solid 

 wood. 



THE HAIRY WOODPECKER. 

 Picus villosus. — LinnjEus. 



Description. — Color varied with black 

 «,nd white above ; wholly white beneath; 

 back clothed with long, loose, downy 

 feathers ; wings brownish black, thickl}' 

 spotted with white ; tail pointed, forked, 

 outer feathers white, with an umber tinge 

 at the extremity, second feather on each 

 side black at the lower part, central and 

 longest feathers pitch black ; the crown, 

 a stripe down the back of the neck,;ind a 

 spot on each side of the head back of the 

 eye, black ; occipital band red in the male 

 and black in the female; bill and claws 

 bluish horn color ; bill covered at the base 

 with yellowish white hairy feathers, black 

 at their extremity. Length 9 ; spread 15. 



History. — This species is spread very 

 extensively over the country, and in this 

 state is much more common than the pre- 

 ceding, being often seen in the open fields 

 and upon our orchard and shade trees. 

 Its nest is constructed in the manner of 

 the preceding species, and it lays about 5 

 white eggs- 



THE DOWNY WOODPECKER. 



Picus p7ibcscens. — Linnaeus. 



Description. — Color of the top and 

 sides of the head, wings and middle tail 

 feathers, black ; the chin, two stripes 

 along the sides of the head, a stripe down 

 the back, and numerous roundish spots 

 on the wings, pure white ; under plumage 

 pale ash gray ; outer tail feathers yellow- 

 ish white, barred with black ; feathers 

 long, loose and downy on the back ; head 

 of the male crossed by a scarlet band, 

 which is black in the female ; nasal feath- 

 ers tawny white ; bill and claws bluish 

 black ; legs greenish ; four toes on each 

 foot. Total length of the specimen be- 

 fore me 6.2 inches ; spread 11 inches; fol- 

 ded wings 4 inches. 



History. — This is our smallest and, by 

 far, our most numerous species of Wood- 

 pecker. In color it has a very close re- 

 semblance to the preceding, but differs 

 from it very considerably in size. It is a 



permanent resident in this state, but as it 

 rears its young for the most part in the 

 forests, it is not much seen during the 

 summer, but on the approach of autumn 

 it makes its appearance upon our orchard 

 and shade trees in considerable numbers, 

 This is one of the most diligent of the 

 feathered tribe, and may be recommended 

 as a pattern of industry and perseverance. 

 So intent is it in searching for eggs, lar- 

 va? and insects, that it scarcely heeda 

 what is doing around it, and may often be 

 approached so near as almost to be taken 

 into the hand before it will abandon its 

 business. 



ARCTIC THREE TOED WOODPECK- 



ER. 



Picus arcticus. — Swainson. 



Description'. — Back velvet black, with 

 bluish and greenish reflections ; crown 

 saffron yellow ; 5 rows of white spots on 

 the quills ; sides of the neck and under 

 plumage white, thickl}' barred with black ; 

 two middle tail feathers brownish black ; 

 outer ones barred with black and tipped 

 with white; bill bluish gray above, whi- 

 tish beneath ; legs lead colored. Length 

 10^ inches; wings 5. — Richardson. 



History. — This large species of Wood- 

 pecker is very rare in comparison wMth the 

 preceding. It is marked in a list kindly 

 furnished me by Dr. Brewer, as breeding 

 in this state, in the vicinity of Burlington. 

 It has usually been confounded by orni- 

 thologists with the Picus tridactijlus, or 

 Common Three-Toed Woodpecker; The 

 hind toe is completely versatile, and may 

 be placed forward perfectly on a level 

 with the others. 



SLENDER BILLED BIRDS. 



Birds of this order have the bill long, 

 or moderately extended, partly arched and 

 awl-shaped ; it is also entire and acute or 

 sometimes wedge-shaped at the extremi- 

 ty. The feet have three toes before 

 and one behind, the outer united at the 

 base to the middle one ; hind toe gener- 

 ally long ; the nails extended and curved. 

 In their habits and method of running 

 upon the trunks and branches of trees, 

 they bear considerable resemblance to 

 the woodpeckers. 



Genus Sitta. — Liimccxis. 



Generic Characters. — Bill siraight, moder- 

 ate sized conic-awl-sliaped, round and .sharp ed- 

 ged towards the point; lower mandible usually 

 recurved from the tip ; nostrils basal, orbicular, 

 open, half closed by a membrane, and parity hid 

 by the advancing bristly feathers of ihe face; 



