272 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 



of its lower parts are almost black, from the carbonaceous matter adhering 

 to them; and generally in winter, at least in the Floridas, I have found its 

 plumage more soiled than in summer. I have represented a male and a 

 female, in their perfect spring plumage. 



Red-bellied Woodpecker, Picus carolinus, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 113. 



Picos carolinus, Bonap. Syn., p. 45. 



Red-bellied Woodpecker, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 572. 



Red-bellied Woodpecker, Picus carolinus, Aud. Orn. Biog\, vol. v. p. 169. 



Male, 7f, 15f. Female, 8, 14 J. 



Breeds from Kentucky in the West, and from Maryland to Nova Scotia 

 and Canada. Abundant in winter in all the Southern States, from Carolina 

 to Texas, and especially in the Floridas. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, nearly straight, being very slightly 

 decurved or arched, strong, angular, compressed toward the tip, which is 

 truncate and cuneate. Upper mandible with the dorsal line somewhat 

 arched, the ridge very narrow, the sides sloping but convex, the lateral angle 

 slight, near the ridge, the edges sharp, direct, overlapping. Lower mandible 

 with the angle short and rather narrow, the crural outline concave, the 

 dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides ascending and convex, the edges 

 sharp and inflected, the tip narrow. Nostrils oblong, basal, concealed by 

 the feathers, and placed about half-way between the ridge and the edge. 



Head of moderate size, ovate; neck rather short; body full. Feet very 

 short; tarsus very short, feathered anteriorly one-third down, in the rest of 

 its extent covered with a few large scutella, compressed, with a series of 

 small scutella internally behind; toes four; first toe small, fourth a little 

 shorter than third, second and third united at the base; all scutellate above; 

 claws large, much curved, compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. 



Plumage full, soft, 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. Wings rather long; 

 the first quill very small, being only an inch and four-twelfths long, six and 

 a half twelfths shorter than the third, which is two-twelfths shorter than the 

 fourth, the latter the longest, the fifth almost equal; secondaries rounded, 

 and slightly emarginate. Tail of moderate length, cuneate, of twelve 

 feathers, of which the lateral, which are rounded and entire, are only an 

 inch and a twelfth long, the next also unworn, are ten and a half twelfths 

 shorter than the middle, which with those on each side have the tip slit, the 

 shaft terminating abruptly. 



Bill bluish-grey, dusky toward the end. Iris bright red. Feet dusky 



