Book II. <%3\C1T HO LO QT. 137 



§. in. 



The greater Jpotted Woodpecker or Wiiwall^ Picus varius major 3 hiWe* Arid. 



T is as big or bigger than a Blackbird. The Female weighed two ounces three 

 quarters. Its length from the Bill to the Claws was eight inches, to the end of 

 the Tail nine and an half: the diftance between the tips of the Wings extended fix- 

 teen inches. 



The Bill in the Cock was an inch and a quarter long, meafuring from the tip to the 

 corner of the flit of the mouth, ftreight, black, thicker at the head, and flenderer 

 by degrees, ending 7 in a iharp point, being of a triangular Pyramidal figure, and 

 channel'd with a furrow or two. The Nofthrils round and covered with black 

 briftles. The Irides of the Eyes red. The Tongue made like that of the green 

 Woodpecker. 



On the hind part of the Head is a line of Crimfon or Vermilion red, reaching from 

 white to white in each cheek 5 [_ in the Cock, not in the Hen. ] In the Hen the 

 Throat and Breaft were of a dirty yellowifh white : The lower Belly under the Tail 

 of a * lovely red or Crimfon colour. Hence the Italians call it Qui rojjo^ the Weljh by * nmicto 

 a name fignifying Fire-tail. The feathers encompaffing the Bafe of the upper Chap, c ° l ° re - 

 and thofe about the Eyes and Ears are white. The Head is black, with adaihofiouJ 00000 " 

 fhining green, the Back alfo black. At the infertion of the Wings on each fide is a 

 great white fpot. From the corners of the moutbra broad, black ftroak reaches o wn 

 to the Back : juft below the Head another black ftroak erodes this. 



The flag-feathers of the Wing are in number twenty ( of which the firft or out- 

 moftis the (horteft ) black, and marked with femicircular white fpots. The interiour 

 covert feathers of the Wings are white, and makeup part of thofe white (pots we 

 mentioned on the (houlders 5 the middlemoft are wholly black, the exteriour have 

 one or two white fpots. The ridge or Bafe of the Wing is white. 



The Tail is three inches and an half long, made up of ten feathers 5 of which the 

 two middlemoft are the longeft, being ftrong, ftifF, fharp-pointed, and bending in- 

 wards : The fhaft, as in others, is not produced to the utmoft tip ( perchance word 

 or broken off with climbing ) by reafon whereof the feathers appear forked. The 

 outmoft Tail-feather on each fide isfmall, black, and having a white fpot in the exte- 

 riour Web. In the two next the lower part is black, and the reft white, with two 

 tranfverfe black fpots or ftroaks, of which the upper cuts both Webs of the feather, 

 the lower only the interiour. In the third the black reacheth higher, and the white 

 part hath only one tranfverfe black ftroak. The fourth pair are all blacky having only 

 a femicircular fpot of white toward the top, the very tip being of a reddifh white : 

 The two middlemoft are wholly black. 



Annot . I think it is not needful fo fcrupuloufly to defbribe every particular fpot 

 in each feather : for that nature takes a latitude, fporting her felf, as they call it, in 

 thefe lefler things , not obferving always the fame number, figure, and fituatiori of 

 fpots. In the Bird I defcribed, the flag-feathers of the Wings were {potted on both 

 fides the fhaft with white fpots,! which when the Wing was extended flood in rows 

 crofting the feathers : The four middle feathers of the Tail wholly black, the reft 

 variegated with white and black tranfverfe fpots. The feathers ftand fo that the 

 Tail, when (hut, feems a little forked. 



The Feet are of a lead colour. It hath the Toes fo fituateas the others of this kind, 

 viz,, two forward, two backward : The two fore-toes likewife conne&ed from the 

 divarication place to the firft joynt. 



It hath afmall Liver with a Gall annexed. The Breaft-bone is very long, produced 

 almoft to the vent : A -final) Gizzard or ftomaeh, in that we differed full of * Cojfi, * £ ffil I,r * 

 Spondyli, and Beetles. The Guts lie deep within the body,that they be not hurt when feec^efem- 

 the Bird turns her head downward, and ftrikes trees with her Bill. It is common td Wing a cater- 

 thisi with the reft of its kind, to wantthe blind Guts. wJSjF 



T &M 



