32 GOLD-WINGED WOODPECKER. 
Some European naturalists (and, among the rest, Linneus himself, 
in his tenth edition of Systema Nature) have classed this bird with the 
genus Cuculus, or Cuckoo, informing their readers, that it possesses 
many of the habits of the Cuckoo; that it is almost always on the 
ground; is never seen to climb trees like the other Woodpeckers, and 
that its bill is altogether unlike theirs ; every one of which assertions, 
I must say, is incorrect, and could have only proceeded from an entire 
unacquaintance with the manners of the bird. Except in the article 
of the bill—and that, as has been before observed, is still a little 
wedge-formed at the point— it differs in no one characteristic from 
the rest of its genus. Its nostrils are covered with tufts of recum- 
bent hairs, or small feathers; its tongue is round, worm-shaped, flat- 
tened towards the tip, pointed, and furnished with minute barbs; it is 
also long, missile, and can be instantaneously protruded to an uncom- 
mon distance. The os hydides, or:internal parts of the tongue, like 
when speaking of their flight, again adds, that it is more “strong and prolonged, 
being performed in a straighter manner, than any other of our Woodpeckers. 
They propel themselves by numerous beats of the wings, with short intervals of 
sailing, during which they scarcely fall from the horizontal. When passing from 
one tree to another, they also fly in a straight line, until within a few yards of the. 
spot on which they intend to alight, when they suddenly raise themselves a few 
feet, and fasten themselves to the bark of the trunk by their claws and tail. Their 
migrations, although partial, (as many remain even in the middle districts durin, 
the severest winters,) are performed under night, as is known by their note and the 
whistling of their wings, which are heard from the ground.” Of its movement he 
also speaks : “It easily moves sidewise on a small branch, keeping itself as erect 
as other birds usually do; but with equal care does it climb by leaps along the 
trunks of trees or their branches, descend, and move sidewise or spirally, keeping at 
all times its head upwards, and its tail pressed against the bark, as a support.” 
1 have thus at length transcribed Mr. Audubon’s minuter details, as tending to 
show the differences of habit in this form, which will be still better observed when 
competed with those we have yet to describe. 
There is another peculiarity in these birds, and some others of the genus, men- 
tioned by Mr. Audubon, which does not seem to have been noticed before, though 
I am not sure that it is confined to the Pici only. In many of our Sandpipers — 
the Purre, for instance — the first plumage is that of the adult female in the nuptial 
dress ; and, in those which have black breasts, an occasional tinge of that color 
may be traced. A great portion of these also receive at least a part of the winter 
dress during the first year. What I have alluded to is as follows, and it may be 
well that it is attended to in the description of the different species of Woodpeckers ; 
Mr. Audubon, however, uses the ward “« frequently,” as if it were not a constant 
appearance in the young :— “In this species, as in a few others, there is a singular 
arrangement in the coloring of the feathers of the upper part of the head, which I 
conceive it necessary for me to state, that it may enable persons better qualified 
than myself to decide as to the reasons of such arrangement. The.young of this 
species frequently have the whole upper part of the head tinged with red, which, at 
the approach of winter, disappears, when merely a circular ‘line of that color is to 
be observed on the hind part, becoming of a rich silky vermilion tint. The Hairy, 
Downy, and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are subject to the same extraordinary 
* changes, which, as'far as I know, never reappear at any future period of their lives. 
I was at first of opinion, that this change appearéd only on the head of the male 
birds ; but, on dissection, I found it equally aeotine both sexes. I am induced to 
believe, that, in consequence of this, many young Woodpeckers, of different species, 
have been described and figured as forming* distinct species themselves. I have 
shot dozens of young Woodpeckers in this peculiar state of plumage, which, on 
being shown to other persons, were thought by’ them to be of different species from 
what the birds actually were. This occurrence is the more worthy of nolice, as it 
is exhibited on all the species of this genus, on the heads of which, when in full 
plumage, a very narrow line exists.” — Ep. ‘ 
