PICIDJG. 239 



Genus COLAPTES, Swakison. 



Bill long, rather slender, broad at the base, and narrowed 

 towards the end, with the culoien elevated at the base, and 

 curved to the tip, which is rather aeute, the lateral margins 

 slightly curved, and the gonys angulated and curved 

 upwards to the end of the lower mandible ; the nostrils basal, 

 lateral, and covered by projecting plumes ; wings long, with 

 the first quill short, and the fourth and fifth quills the 

 longest; tail rather long, graduated, and the ends of the 

 feathers narrow and rigid ; tarsi short, robust, and covered 

 with broad scales ; toes unequal, the outer anterior toe longer 

 than the outer posterior one; the claws moderate, com- 

 pressed, and acute. 



475. ColapteS OllVaceUS. (Lath.) Picus Arator, 

 Cuv. Vol., p. 450 ; Picus Olivaceus, Lab. ; Le Pic 

 Laboureur, Le Vaillant, No. 254, 255 ; Geocolaptes 

 Terrestris, Burchell. 



GENERAL colour, brown, mottled with dirty- yellow ; rump 

 crimson ; breast and belly, pale-crimson, in the male, who 

 has also an indistinct crimson moustache ; in the female these 

 parts are brown ; tail above, dark-brown, barred with yellow, 

 the tip ridged, and golden- orange ; bel'ow brown, glossid with 

 golden-yellow, the yellow bars also showing. Length, 10'' ; 

 wing, 5" 3" ; tail, 3" 9'". 



This singular bird presents a remarkable instance of the adaptation 

 of creatures to the localities wherein their lot is cast. Though belong- 

 ing to the woodpecker tribes, it never pecks wood, but bores its way 

 into the banks of rivers, sides of hills, or the walls of mud-buildings, 

 in search of its prey, and for a home for its young. It also seeks for 

 food on the ground, in the same manner as the Golden-winged Wood- 

 pecker of North America ; its flight likewise struck mQ as very similar. 



It excavates a hole, sometimes several feet in depth, in which to 

 deposit its eggs, which are pure white, and from three to five in num- 

 ber : axis, 13'"; diam., 11'". 



Families seem to keep in company until the breeding 970/3^7 sepa- 

 rates them. They feed together, and roost together in some deserted 

 hole ; and their loud, harsh cries, as they call to each other, may be 

 heard to a considerable distance. It is common throughout the whole 

 of the colony. 



The Sub-Family, YUNCIN-ffi, or Wrynecks, 



have the bill short, straight, with the tip acute ; the wings 

 moderate and pointed ; the tail moderate, rounded, and 

 composed of soft and flexible feathers ; the tarsi short ; toes 

 moderate. 



