BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKEE. 397 



Genus PICOIDES. Laoepede. 

 Bill mach depressed at base, with lateral ridges mach nearer commissare than culmen ^ 

 gonys very long, equal to distance from nostrils to tip. Feet -with only three toes, the 

 first or inner hind toe wanting, outer front toe a little longer than inner, slightly ex- 

 ceeded by hind toe. Wings very long, reaching beyond middle of tail. 



PiCOIDES ARCTICUS (_Sw) Gr. 



ISlack-baclied "Woodpecker. 



Picoides arctieus, Whka.ton, Ohio Agric. Kep. for 1860, 379, (probable )^ Reprint, 1861, 2S, 

 (probable) —Baird, Brewer and Eidgway, ii, 1874, 531. 



Pious (Apternus) aretioua, Swainson, Fn. Bor. Am. ii, 1831, 313. 

 Piooides arctieus, Gray, Gen. of Birds, ii, 434. 



Crown with a yellow patch in the male. Back uniform black, sides of head striped, 

 of body barred, with black and white ; under parts otherwise white ; quills with white 

 spots ; tail feathers unbarred, the outer white, the central black. Length, 8-9 ; wing, 

 4i-5 i tail, Si-i. 



Habitat, Northern North America, into the northern United States in winter, and in 

 all probability resident along our northern frontier, as well as further south in moun- 

 tainous regions. 



Rare or accidental, and probably in winter only, in Northern Ohio. 

 Mr. Kirkpatrick informed me in 1861, that it was said to have occurred 

 in Ashtabula county, but with his characteristic caution, added "not 

 having seen the specimen I cannot vouch for the truth of the statement." 

 It was accordingly mentioned in my catalogue in the list of probabilities. 

 It was ommitted from a subsequent list, no further evidence of its occur- 

 rence having been obtained. 



Dr. Brewer in the work cited, says : " It has been found as far south 

 as Massachusetts, New York and Ohio, but rarely," and in correspon- 

 dence with me in regard to its occurence, wrote that his statement was 

 based upon one specimen sent to him with other birds, by a local col- 

 lector, of Akron, Summit county, Ohio, and that, as the birds were sent 

 to him for identification, he had no doubt they were shot in that vicinity. 



The nearest locality to us in which this Woodpecker is known to be a 

 permanent resident is Lewis county, New York, where both it and the 

 Banded Three-toed Woodpecker (P. americanus) have been discovered to 

 breed by Dr. C. H. Merriam. The eggs measure .91 by .70. 



Genus SPHYEAPICUS. Baird. 



Bill as in Picas, but the very prominent lateral ridge terminating at the middle of 

 the commissure ; lateral outline of bill concave to near the tip. Outer toes longest, 

 the inner posterior toe very short, less than inner anterior without claw. Wings long 

 and pointed. Tail feathers very broad, abruptly acuminate, with a very long linear tip. 

 Tongue, scarcely extensible. 



