rj32 xoirni amkimcax uikr^. 



winter ur in Marcli. Two weiv taken near Salem in November. It is also 

 a rare winter visitant near Hamilton in Canada. 



Mr. Kidi^way met witli hut a single individual of this species during his 

 We.stern exjdorations. This was sh(»t in PVhinary, near ( 'arson City, Xevada ; 

 it was husily engaged in pecking n\nm the trunk of a large pine, and was 

 perfectly silent. 



Mr. dnhn K Lord obtained a single specimen of this bird on tlie summit 

 of the Cascade ^iountains. It was late in Sei)tem1»er, and getting c(»ld ; the 

 bird was ih'ing restlesslv from tree to tree, but not searchin*^ for insects. 

 Both when on tlie wing and when clinging to a tree, it was continually 

 uttering a shrill, ])laintive cry. Its favorite tree is the Pinttx nuifin'fa, which 

 grows at great altitudes. It is found chieHy on hill-to]>s, while in the val- 

 leys and lower jdains it is rejdaced by the Piroiths hirstifns. 



'^s of this species were obtained by Professor Agassiz on the northern 

 sho. ^.ake Superior. They were slightly ovjite, nearly spherical, rounded 

 at one end and al»rui)tly pointed at the other, of a crystal whiteness, and 

 measured .'.>1 of an inch in length by .7<> in breadth. 



An ei^g received from Mr. Krieghoff is small in proportion to the size 

 of the bird, nearly spherical in form, and of a uniform dull-white color. It 

 measures .1)2 of an inch in lengtli by .76 in breadth. 



Ficoides tridactylus, var. americanus, Brehm. 



THE WHITE-BACXED THBEE-TOEB WOODPECKER. 



Picus hirsv.ttifi, ViF.iLL<tT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1S07, 68, pi. cxxi\ (European specimen). — 

 Waglf.!{, Syst. Av. 1827, No. 27 0"ixtHl with uiidultftti.s). — Aid. Orn. liio^j. V, 1839, 

 184, pi. ecccxvii. — Id. Birds Amev. IV, 1842, pi. cclxix. — Nuttall, Man. I, v2ded.,) 

 1840, 622. AjifiriiMshirsufus, Box. Li>t. Puoiihshirmdis, Baihd, Birds X. Am. 1858, 

 98. — Samcels, 95. ^ Piciia uiuluhtfi'ft, VitiLLoT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, 1S07, 69 (based 

 on PI. enl. 5.'«3, fictitious species ?) PicHs uiidtitioi, Tkmm. Picus uikIdsks, Crv. R. A. 

 1829, 451 (all luiscd on same fifjure). TrkhutiiUa uiuUdnta, Car. & Hi:iN. Mas. Hein. 

 IV, 2, 1863, 28. Picus friihicf>ilus, S\v. F. Bor. Am. 1831, 311, pi. hi. Picoidcs 

 americanus, Bkkum Vilf,'el Deutschlands, 1831, 195. — Malukkim:, M<>n. Pieidaj, I, 

 176, pi. xvii, 36. — Sci.ATEi:, C'atal. — (JiiAV, Cat. Br. Mus. Ill, 3, 4, 1868, 30. Ap- 

 ternus amcricanns, Swainson, Class. II, 1837,306. Picas americanus, SvsDKV all, 

 Consp. Av. Picin. 186(* .5. Picnidcs dnrsalis, Baiud, Birds N. Am. 1858, 100, jd. 

 Ixxxv, f. 1. — Cttoi'En, Orn. Cal. 1. 1870 (under P. atncricanus). Tridacfiifia dorsaNs, 

 Cab. & Hf.in. Picus dorsolis, ^vsdv.-'XLL, Confi\^. IS6C},H. 



Sp. Char. Bla.k altove. The back niarkinirs of white, transverse in summer, and 

 lonjritudinal in winter; these exti-nd to the runi)i. which is sometimes almost wholly 

 white. A white line iioni l»ehind the eye, wideninir on the nape, and a broader one 

 under the ey»^ from the loral rejrit)n. but not extendinpr on the forehead: oceiput and sides 

 of head uniibrm black. Quills, but not eoverts, spotted on both webs with white, seen on 

 inner webs of inner secondaries. Under part.s inidudini; erissum, white ; the sides, includ- 

 ing axillars and lininu' of wini^-, banded transversely with Idack, Exposed portion of outer 

 three tail-feathers white : that of third much less, and sometimes with a narrow tip of 

 black. T'pjKM- tail-coverts sometimes tipped with white, and occasionally, but ver}^ rarely. 



