THE WOODPECKERS. 97 



undescribed. The lumbar tract, on the contrary, presents the same characters as in Rhamphastus 

 and consists only of two short limbs, which are, therefore, generally biserial, and touch each 

 other at the apex. The wings bear from nineteen to twenty-one remiges, but always ten on the 

 pinion, of which the first is rather short, the second is likewise shorter than the following ones, 

 but the third is sometimes equal to the fourth and fifth and with them the longest, and sometimes 

 exceeded by the fourth, fifth, and sixth, which are then 'of equal length. The peculiar formation 

 of the tail-feathers proper to all Woodpeckers is too well known to need description, but the 

 character of the outer feathers above mentioned must have escaped the notice of many observers, 

 as several authors (even Wagler in his Systema Avium) sometimes limit the number of rectrices to 

 ten, which is wrong according to my observations. 



The discrepancy of the dorsal tract appears in several points. The tract certainly starts 

 from the nape in all Woodpeckers as a simple narrow band, and continues of the same form as 

 far as the shoulders, but its further course is different. 



1. In P. hiridus, NOB. and P. concretus, TEMM. (PL Col., 50), the dorsal tract divides 

 even between the shoulders into two limbs, which diverge a little, at the same time increasing in 

 breadth, then again become narrower and run parallel to each other to the oil-gland, which they 

 enclose between them, just as in Rhamphastus. In P. concretus both stems are very strong, and 

 therefore the space between them is but narrow ; in P. luridus, on the contrary, the stems are 

 very weakly feathered, and the space is broad, especially in front in the region of the sacrum. 



2. In Picus tridadylus and P. carolinus the dorsal tract continues simple as far as the end of 

 the shoulder-blades, and here divides into two limbs, which widen perceptibly, but terminate in a 

 truncated extremity. From these issue two converging rows of single feathers, which meet on the 

 sacrum, and then form the simple, narrow rump-band, which terminates at the oil-gland, but 

 has a row of contour-feathers close to it on each side which enclose the gland. This form pretty 

 closely approaches that of Pogonias (Plate V, fig. 7) and Eucco (Plate V, fig. 2). Picus martins 

 has the same structure, but the two rows of feathers which unite the arms of the scapular part 

 with the rump-band are wanting in that species, although the entire tract is stronger. 



3. In the other species the dorsal tract is interrupted by a distinct but short gap, at the end 

 of the simple portion which extends low down between the shoulders, and immediately behind 

 the gap there are two triangular divergent spots of feathers which represents the widening limbs 

 of the preceding form. 



a. In P. benyalensis and auratus these spots are united with the simple rump-band by two 

 single converging rows of feathers ; but 



b. In P. macei and the rest of our indigenous species these lines are wanting, and the rump- 

 band is completely separated from the above-mentioned spots. In both cases the rows of feathers 

 beside the rump-band, enclosing the oil-gland, are usually present (Plate V, fig. 15) ; these, how- 

 ever, are sometimes wanting, as in P. medius, or they consist merely of down-feathers. The latter 

 are continued upon the fleshy tail, which is very broad in the Woodpeckers in contrast to the 

 Toucans, and form the upper tail-coverts behind the oil-gland, whilst the lower tail-coverts are 



fourth, fifth, and sixtli equal and longest. Twelve rigid tail-feathers, but the two outermost remark- 

 ably small, and like the next two on each side, much softer than the rest. P. concretus, TEMM., PI. 

 Col., 90, and P. pa-cilolophus, TEMM., PL Col., 197, 1, are somewhat related to this species, but both 

 of them possess a coloured crest, which is wanting in my species. 



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