PICI. 113 



152. (400.) PICOIDES ARCTICUS (Swains.). 142. 



Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. 



Synonyms: Picus (Apternus) arcticus. 



Black-backed Woodpecker, Black-backed Three-toed Wood- 

 pecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Banded-backed Three- 

 toed Woodpecker. 



Wheaton, Ohio Agri. Report, 1860, 379, hypothetical. 

 Baird, Brewer, Ridgway, II, 1874, 531. 



The specimen reported by Dr. Brewer in the second ci- 

 tation above, was taken at Akron, Summit county. Ober- 

 lin College has since come into possession of a specimen 

 collected and mounted by Mr. John C. Catlin at Ravenna, 

 Portage county. It is not unlikely that Mr. Catlin secured 

 his specimen first, but this is the first mention of it in print. 



Prof. J. S. Hine, of Columbus, gives it as occasional in 

 Franklin county. 



It would occur only in severe winters. 



153. (402.) SPHYRAPICUS VARIUS (Linn.). 143. 



Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. 



Synonyms: Picus varius. 



Yellow-bellied Woodpecker, Sapsucker, Common Sapsucker. 

 Wilson, Am. Orn., I, 1808, 147. 



This is the true "Sapsucker," and should not be confused 

 with our familiar winter woodpeckers. It feeds upon the 

 sap of the maple and pine trees in spring, and often causes 

 some damage to the trees, sometimes girdling the tree with 

 one or more rows of holes. It is undoubtedly true that the 

 insects which swarm about the exuding sap are also eaten, 

 so the object which the woodpecker has in view in tapping 

 the tree may be twofold. During the rest of the year the 

 birds eat insects, some mast, the inner bark of trees, and 

 such vegetable food as can be found. 



It is common as a migrant across the state, both spring 

 and autumn, but nests in small numbers in the northern 

 part of the state. It winters in small numbers in the south- 

 west corner, reaching the lake shore in the northward mi- 

 gration during the middle of March. It crosses the state 



