RED-NECKED WOODPECKER. 



159 



spot on the back : the two middle tail-feathers 

 longest: legs and claws black: female differs in 

 having the forehead brown, and wanting the red 

 stripe on the lower mandible. This species is 

 subject to trifling variations in its markings, being 

 sometimes found striated with white beneath. It 

 is said to be very injurious to maize, not that it 

 eats any part of the plant, but it settles on the ripe 

 ears to pick off the insects that abound there : it 

 is very common in many parts of North America, 

 where it is called May May. 



RED-NECKED WOODPECKER. 

 (Picus rubricollis.) 



Y.Jiiscus, occipite cristato, corpore siibtus testaceo, capite collogue 

 coccineis. 



Brown Woodpecker, with the back part of the head crested, 

 body beneath testaceous, head and neck crimson. 



Picus rubricollis. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1. 426. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 1. 

 226. 6. 



Le Pic a cou rouge. Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. 7. 53. 



Grand Pic huppe a tete rouge de Cayenne. Buff. PI. Enl. 612. 



Red-necked Woodpecker. Lath. Gen. Syn. 2. 558. 5. 



Beak pale coloured : head and neck as far as the 

 breast crimson : back, wings, and tail dark brown ; 

 with a mixture of dirty white on the wings : the 

 whole of the under part of a cream-colour : head 

 crested behind: legs lead-colour: length about 

 sixteen inches : it is sometimes found of a fulvous 

 colour underneath, which may be the sexual dis- 

 tinction. Inhabits Cayenne. 



