104 



RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER. 



small black spots on each side of the breast; the wings are black, 

 spotted with white; the four middle tail feathers black, the rest 

 white spotted with black ; rump black, variegated with white ; the 

 vent white spotted with black ; the hairs that cover the nostrils are 

 of a pale cream color; the bill deep slate; but what forms the most 

 distinguishing peculiarity of this bird is a fine line of vermilion on 

 each side of the head, seldom occupying more than the edge of a 

 single feather. The female is destitute of this ornament; but in 

 the rest of her plumage differs in nothing from the male. The iris 

 of the eye, in both, was hazel. 



The stomachs of all those I opened were filled with small 

 black insects, and fragments of large beetles. The posterior ex- 

 tremities of the tongue reached nearly to the base of the upper 

 mandible. 



