PHILLIPS' WOODPECKER. 239 



first small, but stout; third and fourth about the same length; second and 

 third united at the base; all scutellate above. Claws large, much curved, 

 compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. 



Plumage very soft, full, and blended. A tuft of reversed stiffish feathers 

 on each side of the base of the upper mandible, concealing the nostrils; the 

 feathers in the angle of the lower mandible also stiffish, and directed 

 forwards. Wings rather long; the first quill very small, the second five- 

 twelfths of an inch shorter than the third, the fourth longer than the latter 

 by one-twelfth, but scarcely exceeding the fifth; secondaries broad and 

 rounded. Tail of moderate length, cuneate, of twelve feathers, of which the 

 lateral are only an inch and a quarter long and rounded, the r jxt an inch 

 and two-twelfths shorter than the middle, the rest worn and slit at the tip. 



Bill dusky, its margins pale at the base. Iris red. Feet bluish-grey, 

 claws dusky. The tufts of feathers covering the nostrils are yellowish-white; 

 the fore part of the head to a little beyond the top orange-yellow; the 

 occiput and hind neck glossy black; over each eye is a band of white passing 

 to behind the auriculars; a black band from above the angle of the mouth to 

 the eye, and behind it, including the auriculars; below this a white band 

 from the angle of the mouth joining that over the eye; and lastly, a narrower 

 black band from the lower mandible. The upper parts are black, tinged 

 with brown behind; the feathers along the middle of the back tipped with 

 white; some of the wing-coverts are tipped with white, and the quills 

 spotted with the same, there being on the four largest primaries seven spots 

 on the outer, and five on the inner web. The four middle tail-feathers are 

 glossy black, the rest black towards the base, that colour gradually diminish- 

 ing so that the outermost is almost entirely white. The lower parts are 

 white. 



Length to end of tail 10^ inches; bill along the ridge 1 T 3 ¥ , along the 

 edge of lower mandible l-^-j wing from flexure 5; tail 3 T 8 2; tarsus ff; inner 

 toe y|, its claw T 4 2; second toe yg-, its claw -f|; third toe T 8 2, its claw ^-; 

 fourth toe •}§ , its claw T s <j. 



This species is about the same size as P. canadensis, which it also 

 resembles in colour, but is distinguished by the yellow patch on the head, 

 and its thicker and more pointed bill. 



