396 BIRDS^PICIDJE. 



The nest of the Hairy Woodpecker is often excavated in a terminal 

 limb of a lofty beech, sometimes in the trunk of an apple tree, more 

 rarely in a dead stub. The eggs are five or six in number, and like 

 those of all other birds of this family, are pure crystal white with an ivory 

 texture. They are an inch in length by nearly three-fourths in width. 



Picus PDBESCENs Linnseus. 



I3o-wmy "Woodpecker. 



Picus pubescms, Kirtlajsd, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 162, 179. — Ekad, Proc. Phila. Acad. 

 Nat. Soi., vi, 1853, 395— Kikkpatrick, Ohio Farmer, ix, 1860, 299— Wheaton, Ohio 

 Agrio. Eep. for 1860, 1861, 362, 372 ; Reprint, 4, 14 ; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. 

 Eep. for 1874, 1875, 569 ; Reprint, 9.— Langdon, Cat. Birds of Gin., 1877, 11 ; Eevised 

 List, Journ. Gin. Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 178; Eeprint, 12; Summer Birds, ib., iii, 

 1880, 225. 



Picua medianus, Kirtlakd, Ohio Geolog. Rep., 1838, 162, 179. — Ebad, Proo. Phila. Acad. 

 Nat. Soi., Ti, 1853, 395. 



Downy Woodpecker, Ballou, Field and Forest, iii, 1878, 136; 



Picus pubescens, LrisrN.a;ns, Syst., Nat., i, 1776, 136. 



Picus (Dendrocopus) medianus, Swainson, Fn. Bor. Am., ii, 1831, 308. 



Picus medianus, Nuttall, Man., ii, 1834, 601. 



Coloration exactly as in P. villosus except the outer tail feathers are barred with black 

 and white. Length, 6-7 ; wing under 4 ; tail under 3. 



Habitat, entirely correspondent with that of P. villosus. Var. gairdneri from the 

 Eocky Mountains to the Pacific. 



Common resident. Breeds. More numerous during the colder months 

 than in summer. 



The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest of our members of the family. 

 It is frequently misnamed "Sapsucker," a term which can only be ap- 

 plied with any propriety to the Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. 



It is much more humble and social than the Hairy Woodpecker, being 

 generally found in company with Titmice, Wrens, and Nuthatches, keep- 

 ing near the ground, searching the branches of low trees or saplings, in 

 the tops of fallen trees, in hedge-rows, brush heaps or on fences. It is 

 quite unsuspicious of man, and continues its busy chiseling, unheeding 

 his near approach. 



The nest of the Downy Woodpecker is excavated in the trunk of a 

 email dead tree, often in the dead limb of an apple tree, sometimes in the 

 post or rail of a fence, seldom more than twenty feet from the ground, 

 often within reach. The eggs, generally five, white, unmarked, meas- 

 ure .83 by .72. 



