174 
PICIN^. 
FAMILY XXVI. PICINtE. WOODPECKERS. 
Bill long or of moderate length, straight, stout, angulate, 
tapering, compressed toward the tip, which is generally 
wedge-shaped and abrupt ; mandibles nearly equal, outline 
of the upper slightly convex, the ridge narrow, sides sloping, 
with a lateral ridge, edges straight ; lower with the angle 
short and narrow, the dorsal line nearly straight, the ridge 
narrow, the sides with a faint ridge. Nostrils basal, ellipti- 
cal or oblong, concealed by reversed bristly feathers. Head 
of moderate size, oblong ; neck of moderate length ; body 
stout. Legs short ; tarsus short, moderately stout, anteriorly 
scutellate, scaly behind ; toes usually four, first short, rudi- 
mentary, or sometimes wanting, fourth very long and re- 
versed, equalling or exceeding the third. Claws large, strong, 
much curved, much compressed, very acute. Plumage soft, 
blended, rather compact on the back ; wings of moderate 
length or long ; with the first quill very small, the third, 
fourth, and fifth longest. Tail of moderate length, much 
rounded or cuneate, of twelve feathers, of which the lateral 
are extremely small, and placed above the next, the rest, but 
especially the three middle pairs, with the shafts exceedingly 
large and strong, the webs narrowed toward the end, with 
their filaments deflected and stiff, the tip pointed or emargi- 
nate from being worn. Tongue slender, with the tip horny 
and furnished with reversed prickles or bristles, capable of 
being protruded to a great length by the elongation of the 
hyoid bones, which curve over the head to between the right 
eye and nostril, or even extend round a great part of that eye. 
(Esophagus of uniform width ; proventriculus extremely large ; 
stomach of moderate size, or rather small, broadly elliptical 
or roundish, moderately muscular ; epithelium thin, dense, 
and longitudinally rugous ; intestine of moderate length, ra- 
ther wide; no coeca; cloaca very large, globular, or elliptical. 
Trachea simple, with a single pair of inferior laryngeal 
