720 PICULETPIE 



the Antillean Subregion excepted, and even extending into Mexico, 

 which according to most zoo-geographers is " Nearctic," while the 

 number of forms inhabiting the tropical portion is vastly greater 

 than that of those now existing within " Patagonian " limits, however 

 liberally the last may be regarded, this Family will very likely 

 prove eventually to belong to the more ancient population of the 

 continent. These forms are essentially of identical nature, but 

 exhibit many and some extreme modifications of structure, a fact 

 which furnishes a strong argument in favour of the antiquity of the 

 original stock. As might be expected, their differences correspond 

 with much diversity of habit, some of the forms living on the most 

 sterile uplands, others in the thickest forests, others in reed-beds 

 and others again on the sea-shore. 



PICULET, the name apparently first assigned in 1845 by G. 

 R. Gray 1 (Gen. B. ii. p. 432) to birds of the subfamily Picumnine y 

 composed according to Mr. Hargitt (Cat. B. Br. Mus. xviii. 

 pp. 8, 521-559) of 4 genera Picumnus with 33 species, of 

 which 31 are Neotropical and 2 Indian; Nesoctites with a 

 single species peculiar to Hispaniola; Ferreauxia, also with one 

 species, confined to the Gaboon country ; and Sasia, with 3 species, 

 ranging from Nepal through the Malay peninsula to Borneo. 

 They are all of small size and thorough WOODPECKERS in habit and 

 appearance, but having the tail short, soft and rounded. The 

 geographical distribution of the whole subfamily, and especially of 

 Picumnus proper, as above stated, points to its antiquity, and 

 interest in the group is enhanced by the fact that Sasia has got rid 

 of its hallux, thus affording a case parallel to that of Picoides among 

 the Pidnse or true Woodpeckers. 



PIE (French, Pie, 2 in Scotland Piet) or more commonly Magpie, 

 the prefix being the abbreviated form of a human name (Margaret 3 ) 

 applied as in so many other instances to familiar animals, as this 

 bird once was throughout Great Britain, though of late years almost 

 extirpated in many parts, and now nearly everywhere scarce. Its 

 pilfering habits have led to this result, yet the injuries it causes 

 are unquestionably exaggerated by common report ; and in many 

 countries of Europe it is still the tolerated or even the cherished 



1 Possibly adapted from the " Picule" of Isid. Geoffroy-St. Hilaire (N. Am. 

 Mus. 1832, p. 396). Before him Temminck had used the word " Picumne." 



2 The "French Pie" of many parts of England is the Great-Spotted or Pied 

 WOODPECKER of authors. When the Linnsean system came to be known in this 

 country the word "Pie " was often used in a general sense as a rendering of PiC2E, 

 the name of one of his Orders of Birds. 



3 "Magot" and "Madge," with the same origin, are names frequently 

 given in England to the Pie ; while in France it is commonly known as Margot, 

 if not termed, as it is in some districts, Jaquette. 



