( 179 ) 

 RED-BREASTED WOODPECKER. 



PiCUS RUBER, GmEL. 

 PLATE CCCCXVI. Male and Female. 



Several specimens of this Woodpecker, which were procured by 

 Dr TowNSEND, on the Columbia River, are in my possession ; but I 

 regret that I have no other information to communicate respecting its 

 habits, than what is contained in the following note from my friend 

 Thomas Ndttall, Esq., who says, " This species, seen in the forests 

 of the Columbia and the Blue Mountains of the same country, has 

 most of the habits of the common Red-headed species. It is, however, 

 much less familiar, and keeps generally among the tall fir-trees, in the 

 dead trunks of which it burrows out a hole for a nest, sometimes at a 

 great elevation. On approaching one which was feeding its yoimg in 

 one of these situations, it uttered a loud reverberating frr frr, and 

 seemed angry and solicitous at my approach. The same species also 

 inhabits Upper California as well as the north-west coast up to Nootka. 

 It is found eastward as far as the central chain of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains." An egg taken from a nest which contained four, is an inch and 

 a quarter in length, three-fourths in breadth, smooth, equally rounded 

 at both ends, though somewhat elongated, and pure white. 



Picus RUBER, G^nel, Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 429. — Lath. Ind. Omith. voL i. p. 228. 

 Picus flaviventris, VieUl. Ois. d'Amer. Sept. vol ii. p. 57. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCCXVI. Fig. 9. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, strong, angular, comr- 

 pressed toward the tip, which is slightly truncate and cuneate. Upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line very slightly convex, the ridge very 

 narrow, the sides sloping, concave at the base, slightly convex toward 

 the end, the lateral angle farther from the ridge than from the mar- 

 gin at its commencement, and terminating on the edge about half- 

 way, the edges sharp, direct, overlapping. Lower mandible with the 

 angle short and rather wide, the crural outline straight, the dorsal 

 ascending and straight, the sides sloping outwards and slightly convex 



