BIRDS OF 



Marsh, which is the only time I have ever seen it alive. I 

 have heard of one or two others being obtained in Southern 

 Ontario, but as the species is common farther north, these can 

 only be regarded as wanderers. 



In the district of Muskoka it is resident and quite common, 

 frequenting certain tracts of country which the fire has gone 

 through and left the trees standing dead and decaying. It 

 belongs to a small group, the members of which have only three 

 toes. Whether this is a special adaptation of the bird to its 

 life among the pines is not apparent, but it seems quite as 

 able to shift for itself with three toes as its near relatives 

 are with four. 



164. PICOIDES AMERICANUS BREHM. 401. 



American Three-toed Woodpecker. 



Three-toed ; entire upper-parts glossy, bluish-black with a few spots of 

 white on the wing quills. Below, white from the bill to the tail ; the sides, 

 flanks and lining of the wings barred with black. Four middle tail feathers 

 black, the rest white. Male with a square patch of yellow on the crown, 

 wanting in the female, bill and feet dull blue. Length, 9-10 inches. 



HAB. Northern North Ameiica, from the Arctic, regions southward, in 

 winter, to the Northern States. 



Nesting, habits and eggs as in the other Woodpeckers. 



This is a more northern species than even the preceding, 

 and nowhere so abundant. The two are often seen in company, 

 and were found by Dr. Merriam breeding in the same district in 

 northern New York, but strange to say, the present species 

 has not been found in Muskoka, where the other is common 

 and resident. During the past two years my friend Mr. 

 Tisdall has been much in the woods in that district, and though 

 he has seen scores of the black-backed during that time, he has 

 never once met with the other. The only record I have of 

 its occurrence in Ontario is that of a single female which was 

 obtained near Ottawa, and is now in the collection of Mr. 

 White of that city. Mention is made in the List of Birds of 

 Western Ontario of one being found near London, but Mr. 



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