GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. 141 



parts of Russia and Siberia ; this bird, therefore, has an 

 extended latitudinal range. 



The beak of the male is as long as the head, rather conical 

 in shape, with a well-defined, elevated, central ridge, ex- 

 tending the whole length of the upper mandible from the 

 base to the point ; in colour it is black at the end, passing 

 by a bluish horn colour to almost white at the base ; a 

 small tuft of black hair-like feathers extending forwards 

 above each nostril ; the irides straw colour ; the upper 

 surface of the head is covered with feathers that are black 

 at the base, but tipped with rich arterial blood red, forming 

 a cap which reaches to the occiput ; the whole of the body 

 of the bird, both above and below, the wings, and the 

 tail, are of uniform black, the under surface of the body 

 being rather more dull in colour than the upper ; the 

 tarsi partly covered with black feathers ; the toes and claws 

 bluish black ; of the two toes directed backwards, the inner 

 toe is only half as long as the outer one ; the claws of all 

 the toes greatly curved, strong, and sharp. 



The whole length of the specimen described was sixteen 

 inches. The whig from the carpal joint to the end, nine 

 inches : the first feather pointed, and only about two inches 

 in length ; the second feather about five inches long, also 

 pointed, and equal in length to the ninth ; the third shorter 

 than the fourth, fifth, or sixth, which are about equal, and 

 the longest in the wing. The two middle feathers of the 

 tail are the longest, the outside feathers the shortest, but 

 all are stiff, and but slightly elastic, the shafts being very 

 thick and strong. 



In the female the crimson colour is confined to the back 

 part of the head, and in young males the top of the head 

 only is spotted with red. 



