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spotted with dull white on the inner web ; tail-feathers 

 long, stiff, and pointed, the middle pair the longest, the 

 others graduated, in colour greyish black, indistinctly barred 

 across with dull greyish white ; the whole of the under 

 surface of the body ash green; legs, toes, and claws, 

 black. 



The whole length is about thirteen inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing, six inches and a half : 

 the first quill-feather short, the second shorter than the 

 seventh, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, nearly equal, 

 but the fourth the longest in the wing. 



Adult females have less red upon the head, and no red 

 on the black moustache. 



In young birds that have recently quitted the nest, the 

 scarlet colour on the top of the head is mixed with yellow 

 and greyish black, the feathers passing by a change of 

 colour from greyish white to yellow, and afterwards to 

 scarlet; on the moustache of the young male the same 

 changes may be observed ; on the back and wings the 

 green feathers are tipped with yellow : all the under sur- 

 face of the neck and body dull greyish white tinged with 

 ash green, streaked longitudinally on the neck, and trans- 

 versely on the breast and belly, with greyish black. The 

 green colour on the under surface of the body increases 

 with age. 



The figure below represents the character and position 

 of the toes in the Woodpeckers. 



