( 178 ) 



This species is very abundant in the western forests, and is a 

 favorite mark for the hunters to practice at with their rifles. The 

 precision with which they place a ball through the body of, [as it is 

 termed by them,] the Sap-sucker, at sixty or eighty yards' distance, 

 is surprising. 



P. Bairdii we have not observed here. It differs from P. Pub- 

 escens by having the upper part of head red. 



PICUS VARIUS— LINN. 



YELLOW-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 



Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Picus varius, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Picus varius, Bonap. Syn. 



Picus (Dendrocopus) varius, Yellow-billed Woodpecker, Sw. & Rich. 



Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. 



Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Picus varius. Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill, along the gap, one inch ; ridge of the 

 upper mandible distinct ; tarsi three quarters of an inch ; tail three 

 inches and a quarter ; abdomen yellow. Adult male with the 

 crown and throat bright red, both bordered with black ; a large 

 patch of the same color on the fore neck ; a band of white from the 

 bill below the eye ; a similar band over the eyes meeting on the 

 hind head ; upper parts black, tinged with blue and barred with 

 white ; tail black, the inner webs of the middle feathers with white 

 bands ; sides of the body undulated with dusky ; rest of the lower 

 parts yellow. Female, with the throat white, and the yellow on the 

 lower parts paler. Young, without the red markings on the head 

 and throat, which are dusky — the latter lighter ; the black patch on 

 the fore neck wanting ; the upper parts similar with the adult, but 

 duller ; lower parts dull yellowish-gray, undulated with dusky ; the 

 abdomen dull yellowish ; tail variegated with white. Length eight 

 inches, wing four and a quarter. 



On Long Island this handsome bird is not very common, neither 

 does it remain throughout the winter. It frequents similar situa- 

 tions with the preceding, and at times both are seen pursuing their 

 respective occupations on the same tree. 



