THE HAIRY WOODPECKER. 87 







FAMILY PICID^E. THE WOODPECKERS. 

 Sub-Family PICIN^E. 



Although all the woodpeckers have a certain resemblance to each other, and 

 agree more or less in habits, there are distinctions among them which serve readily 

 for division into sub-genera, genera, or even higher groups. Thus, the difference 

 between the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the common Flicker, which may be taken 

 as representing the extremes of the scale in North-American species, will be palpable 

 to any observer. 



In the woodpeckers inhabiting the United States, there are three distinct groups, 

 which may be taken, with some authors, as so many sub-families ; or if, with Bona- 

 parte, we unite all the Piddle with stiffened, acuminate, and pointed tails into a sub- 

 family Picirue, they will constitute so many separate sections. They may be severally 

 characterized as follows: 



PICIN.E or Picece. Bill more or less long ; the outlines above and below nearly 

 straight; the ends truncated; a prominent ridge on the side of the mandible, spring- 

 ing from the middle of the base or a little below, and running out either on the 

 commissure, or extending parallel to and a little above it, to the end ; sometimes 

 obliterated or confluent with the lateral bevel of the bill ; nostrils considerably over- 

 hung by the lateral ridge, more or less linear, and concealed by thick bushy tufts of 

 feathers at the base of the bill ; outer posterior toe generally longer than the anterior. 



MELANERPIN/E or Centurece. Bill rather long; the outlines, that of the culmen 

 especially, decidedly curved. The lateral ridge much nearest the culmen, and, 

 though quite distinct at the base, disappearing before coming to the lower edge of 

 the mandible ; not overhanging the nostrils, which are broadly oval, rounded an- 

 teriorly, and not concealed by the bristly feathers at the base ; outer pair of toes 

 nearly equal, the anterior rather longer. 



COLAPTIN.E or Colaptece. Bill much depressed, and the upper outline much 

 curved to the acutely pointed (not truncate) tip; the commissure considerably 

 curved; bill without any ridges; the nostrils broadly oval, and much exposed; 

 anterior outer toe longest. 



PICUS VILLOSUS. Linnceus. 1 



The Hairy Woodpecker. 

 Plcus villosus, Linnaeus. Syst., I. 175. Bonap. Syn., 46, and others. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"The Hairy Woodpecker is nine inches long and fifteen in extent; crown 

 black ; line over and under the eye white ; the eye is placed in a black line, 

 that widens as it descends to the back; hind head scarlet, sometimes intermixed 

 with black; nostrils hid under remarkably thick, bushy, recumbent hairs, or 

 bristles; under the bill are certain long hairs thrown forward and upward; bill 



1 See p. 84, vol. IX., Pacific R.R. Reports. 



