190 NEW-YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



THE ARCTIC WOODPECKER. 



PlCUS ARCTICUS. 

 PLATE XVII. FIG. 36 (Male). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Picus tridaclylus. BonapAete, Annals Lyceum N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 46. Id. Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 64, pi. 14, fig. 2. 



Audubon, fol. pi. 132. Nuttall, Manual Ornith. Vol. 1, p. 578. 

 P. (Aptemus) arcticus. Rich. & Swainson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 313, pi. 57. Aoddbor, B. of Am. Vol. 4, p. 266, 



pi. 268. 

 Apternus arcticus. Bonapaete, Geog. and Comp. List, p. 39. - 



Characteristics. Three-toed. Crown yellow. A white band from the mandible passes 

 under the eye. Outer tail-feathers white and rufous. Female, without 

 yellow crown. Length, 10 i inches. 



Description. Bill nearly as long as the head, straight, pointed, and much depressed. 

 Tarsus scutellate before and behind. Tail graduated, of twelve decurved feathers ; the outer 

 very small and rounded. First primary longer than the seventh. Feathers of the head silky. 



Color. Chin, throat and front of the breast white ; behind this, barred with black. Crown 

 yellow, verging to orange. Outer quills with seven rows of white spots. Two middle tail- 

 feathers black ; the two outer barred with white and black ; the others black, white and cream 

 colored. Female, without the yellow crown ; the white behind the eye conspicuous. 



Length, 10"5. Alar spread, 16*0. 



This northern bird is a rare species in the Atlantic district of the State, although it has 

 been seen in Pennsylvania. I noticed numbers of them in the mountainous forests of Ha- 

 milton and Herkimer counties in June, and they have been seen at Niagara. The eggs are 

 pure white. They feed on the tree-boring insects. It doubtless breeds in this State, which 

 appears to be its extreme southern range. This with the following have been arranged under 

 the genus Apternus, principally characterized by its three toes and depressed bill. For a 

 long time it had been confounded with the P. tridaclylus, or Arctic Woodpecker of Europe. 

 Until very recently, too, it has been confounded with the following arctic species. Geogra- 

 phical range from New- York to the Arctic regions. 



