82 MANUAL 



terest. The tongue of most of these species sends terminal 

 shoots around the base of the skull by means of which it can 

 throw that member out to a very great length, and with its 

 horny, rasp-like tip secure grubs and insects from far within 

 the interior of the tree upon which it is in search of food. 

 One genus has but three feet. The student will do well to 

 make a careful and separate study of this family, and he will 

 find his interest in it increase as he progresses. 



The family is generally divided into three sub-families, but 

 only one of them is exclusively American. In consequence 

 the family characteristics will stand for those of the sub-fam- 

 ily Picin^e. 



Genera Campephilus, The Ivory-billed Woodpecker. 

 Hylotomus, The Pileated Woodpecker. 

 Picus, The Hairy Woodpecker and 9 to 12 allies. 

 Xenopicus, The White-headed Woodpecker. 

 Picoides, The Three-toed Woodpeckers (3 species). 

 Sphyrapicus, The Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (and 3 allies). 

 Centurus, The Red-bellied Woodpecker (and 3 allies). 

 Melanerpes, The Red-headed Woodpecker (and 4 allies), 

 Colaptes, The Flickers (5 species). 



As these genera are all stable, and, at present, no sub-genera or synon- 

 ymy seems to be desirable, we shall not try to puzzle the student by at- 

 tempting to account for old generic forms. The family does very well as 

 it is. Picoides, alone, seems to depart from the family characterization. 

 A studj r of its embryonic forms would be highly interesting. 



FAMILY XXVII PSITTACIDAE THE PARROTS 



Latin psittacus, Greek psittake, a parrot ; probably from their hissing 

 or chattering (sizo to hiss). 



As there is but a single family of these curious birds, and a 

 single American sub-family, moreover but a single genus, in 

 referring back to the characterization of the oedee, the stu- 

 dent will find plenty of marks by which to determine the real 

 position of the group. L T ntil recently there were accorded us 

 but a single species, now we can innumerate two genera and 

 three species. They all conform to the same general type. 



The curious bill, hawk-like and yet not hawk-like ; the pe- 

 culiar disposition and shape of the feet, being disposed in 



