BIRDS — PICIDAE. 79 



Family PICIDAE. The Woodpeckers. 



The diagnosis already given of the Picidae will readily serve to distinguish the family among 

 the Scansores, although some characteristic features may he properly dwelt upon in more detail. 

 The wedge-shaped hill is pre-eminently calculated for cutting into bark or wood in search of 

 food or the construction of a nesting place. The wings are long ; the primaries ten in number, 

 the first very short ; the secondaries vary from 9 to 12. The tail feathers in the typical sub- 

 families are excessively rigid and cuneate, especially the middle ones ; the outer one on each 

 side is very short and soft^ or without stiffened shaft. It lies concealed between the second (now 

 outer) feather and the third. 



The tarsi are covered anteriorly with large plates, posteriorly with small ones, more or less 

 reticulated or polygonal. The claws are high, strong, much curved and very sharp. The 

 tongue is elongated and acute, with short spines or barbs on each side near the point, and 

 capable of great protrusion. 



The Picidae embrace three distinct forms, which constitute as many sub-families, namely, 

 the Picinae, the Yunginae, and the Picumninae. Of these the Yunginae have no representatives 

 .in America. The Picumninae have soft tail feathers, or without a stiffened shaft, as in the true 

 woodpeckers, and do not occur in the United States. 



Sub-Family PICINAE. 



Although all the woodpeckers have a certain resemblance to each other, and agree more or 

 less in habits, there are distinctions among them which serve readily for division into sub- 

 genera, genera, or even higher groups. Thus the difference between the ivory-billed woodpecker 

 and the common flicker, which may be taken as representing the extremes of the scale in 

 North American species, will be palpable to any observer. 



In the woodpeckers inhabiting the United States there are three distinct groups, which may 

 be taken with some authors as so many sub-families ; or if, with Bonaparte, we unite all 

 the Picidae with stiffened, acuminate, and pointed tails into a sub-family Picinae, they will 

 constitute so many separate sections. They may be severally characterized as follows : 



Picinae or Piceae. — Bill more or less long ; the outlines above and below nearly straight ; the 

 ends truncated ; a prominent ridge on the side of the mandible springing from the middle of 

 the base, or a little below, and running out either on the commissure, or extending parallel to 

 and a little above it, to the end, sometimes obliterated or confluent with the lateral bevel of 

 the bill. Nostrils considerably overhung by the lateral ridge, more or less linear, and con- 

 cealed by thick bushy tufts of feathers at the base of the bill. Outer posterior toe generally 

 longer than the anterior.. 



Melanerpinae or Oentureae. — Bill rather long ; the outlines, that of the culmen especially, 

 decidedly curved. The lateral ridge much nearest the culmen, and, though quite distinct at 

 the base, disappearing before coming to the lower edge of the mandible ; not overhanging the 

 nostrils, which are broadly oval^, rounded anteriorly, and not concealed by the bristly feathers 

 at the base. Outer pair of toes nearly equal ; the anterior rather longer. 



OoLAPTiNAE or Colopteae. — Bill much depressed, and the upper outline much curved to the 

 acutely pointed (not truncate) tip. The commissure corisiderably curved. Bill without any 

 ridges. The nostrils broadly oval, and much exposed. Anterior outer toe longest. 



