SPHTEOPICUS. 427 



top of the cranium, or even curving into an osseous groove round the orbit. The 

 basi-hyoids supporting the tongue are shorter and differently-shaped. The tongue itself 

 is short and flattened, with a superior longitudinal median groove and a corresponding 

 inferior edge ; the tip is broad and flattened, obtusely rounded, and with numerous long 

 soft bristly hairs (Pr. Ac. PhU. 1866, p. 52). 



The peculiar food of the birds of this genus probably accounts for the modifications 

 of the tongue. The chief portion of their nutriment is derived from the cambium- 

 layer of trees, the soft substance lying beneath the bark. To get at this the bark is 

 stripped off in patches, to the serious injury and generally the destruction of the tree. 

 Besides this food the sap issuing from the injured trees is largely partaken of as well 

 as insects attracted to the sap. Insects also are frequently caught in the air. 



The range of Sphyropicus is chiefly confined to North America, all the species being 

 found there. S. varius is migratory and visits Mexico, Central America, and some of 

 the West-Indian Islands in winter. S. nuchalis and S. thyroideus occur in Western 

 and North-western Mexico. 



1. Sphyropicus varius. 



The Yellow Belly'd Woodpecher, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carol, i. p. 21, t. 21 ' j F. Belles, Auk, 1891, 



p. 256^ 

 Picus varius, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 176 ' ; Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 439 ' ; Licht. Preis-Verz. 



mex. Vog. p. 1 (c/. J. £. Orn. 1863, p. 55) ^ Gosse, Birds Jam. p. 270"; Sel. P.Z. S. 



1856, p. 308"; 1859, pp. 367 ^ 388"; Taylor, Ibis, 1860, p. 119"; Sumichrast, La Nat. 



V. p. 240 ". 

 Sphijrapicus varius, Baird, Birds N. Am. p. 103'"; Lawr. Mem. Bost. See. N. H. ii. p. 294"; 



Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 35"; Gundl. Orn. Cut. p. 115"; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. 



U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 159"; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 179". 

 Sphyropicus varius, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 136''; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 205"; Baird, 



Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, ii. p. 539'°; Salv. Cat. Strickl. CoU. p. 389"; Hargitt, 



Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xviii. p. 188 ". 



Supra niger, dorso toto sordide albo variegate, pileo medio coccineo undique nigro circumcincto, stria post- 

 oculari utrinque apud micham conjuncta sordide alba ; uropygio medio albo ; alis nigris, tectricibus mediis 

 et majoribus late albo terminatis ; remigibus omnibus in pogoniis ambobus ad margines albo guttatis : 

 subtus flavido-albus, peotore et stria utrinque malari nigris, gutture medio coccineo, stria quoque a nares 

 usque ad ventrem albida, regione parotica nigricante albo variegata ; bypochondriis fuscescentibus, nigro 

 f asciatis ; Cauda nigra, rectricibus duabus mediis in pogonio interno albis, nigro faseiatis ; rostro et pedibus 

 nigricanti-plumbeis. Long, tota circa 7-5, alse 4-9, caudse 3-0, rostri a rictu 1-0, tarsi 0-75, dig. med. 

 absque ungue 0-56, dig. ext. 0-6. (Descr. maris ad. ex Coapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



§ mari simUis, sed gutture medio albicante. 



(J juv. peotore variegato. 



5 iaterdum pileo toto nigerrimo (an av. ]'uv. ?). 



Hah. North America, Eastern and Southern States, Texas 21.— Mexico {Beppe & 

 Schiede^), Sierra above Ciudad Victoria (W. B. Bichardson), Real del Monte 

 (Bullocks W. B. Bichardson), Temiscaltepec {Bullock % Cofre de Perote, 



54* 



