PICOIDES H1RSUTUS. 247 



PICOIDES HIBSUTUS. 



Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. 



Picoides hirsutus BAIRD, Birds N. A..; 1858, 98. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Oil. Ponn, not robust. Size, large. Sternum, not very stout. Tongue, rather thin and horny at the tip which 

 is provided with h:irl>s for one thirtlof the terminal length. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of the length of 



tin 1 tongue. Terminal hook of scapula, angled above and below. 



r.'i.int. Atlu/l male. ( 1 lossy block above, including sides ofhead, maxillary line and bands on the sides and flanks, 

 with line exf-nding fVom base of !iill. down the sMes of neck, short, narrow lino back of eye, spots on the primaries and on 

 the secondaries, bands on buck to rump, allbut basal portion of two outer tail feathers, and the tips of next pair, white, 

 Forehead, spotted with white. Square patch on the top of the head, saffron-yellow. Under portion, including under tail 

 nnd under wing I-OMTIS, white, while the feathers of the latter are banded with black and the breast is faintly tinged with 

 yellowish. 



Adult frmale. Similar to the male, hut lacks the yellow on the head which is replaced by black spotted with white, 

 ami the white on the tail is not as extended. Iris, brown, bill, black, bluish at base of lower mandible, and feet, bluish, 

 in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Like t!ie preceding, there is more black spotting lielow in some specimens than in others, but they are generally quite 

 uniform in color. Readily known from other Woodpeckers by the absence of any red on the head which is replaced by yel- 

 low. Kn.iwn from the preceding species, by the presence of the transverse white bandings above. There is also a line 

 back of the eye in arclicus but it is much narrower than in the present bird. Distributed, as a constant resident, through- 

 out North America from the latitude of Maine to the Arctic Circle. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from the North. Length, 9-25; stretch, 15 25; wing, 4'75; tail, 3'60; bill, 1'15; 

 tarsus, -GO. Longest specimen, 9'75; greatest extent of wing, IG'OO; longest wing, 5"25; tail, 3'80; bill, 1'25; tarsus, '75. 

 Shortest specimen, 8 - 50; smallest extent of wing, 14 - 00; shortest wing, 4'00; tail, 3'50; bill, TOO; tarsus, '60. ' 



DESCRIPTION OP NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in cylinder-shaped holes, generally excavated in living trees. Dimensions, diameter of external orifice, 

 1'50. greatest internal, 3'00. Internal depth, IS'OO. 



Ejjgs, four to six in number, rather ovate in form, pure, polished pearly-white in color. Dimensions from '65x '90 to 

 70 x -95. 



HABITS. 



The first time that I ever met with the Banded Three-toed Woodpeckers, was at Errol, 

 New Hampshire, some years ago, late in autumn; so late in fact, that the ground was 

 covered with snow to the depth of several inches. I was walking along the margin of a 

 heavily wooded tract, looking after Pine Grosbeaks which were particularly abundant 

 there, when my attention was attracted by hearing the harsh cry of a Woodpecker which 

 was new to me. It instantly occurred to me that it was a Three-toed and, upon going 

 quickly in the direction of the sound, my suspicions were confirmed by seeing the bird on 

 the trunk of a tree. The Banded Woodpecker, for such it proved to be, was quite unsus- 

 picious as it paid no apparent attention to me; therefore, I walked as near as I chose, 

 watched its movements for a few moments, and then shot it. But unfortunately, although 

 killed at once, it did not fall to the ground but clung, lifeless, to a tuft of moss on the side 

 of the tree, some forty feet above the ground. Thus I was obliged to climb the straight 

 trunk in order to secure my prize which proved to be a fine male. 



