PICIN^. PICUS. 
175 
inuscles. Nest a cavity dug in a tree ; eggs from four to 
six, elliptical, white. 
The groups present characters which are so undecided, 
and exhibit such gradual approximations, that I think it 
better here to consider all our W oodpeckers as of one genus. 
GENUS 1. PICUS, Linn. WOODPECKER. 
Character as above. 
* Bill straight, with the angles prominent. 
256. 1. Picus imperialis, Gould. Imperial Woodpecker. 
Not figured. 
Glossy greenish-black ; the elongated occipital crest scarlet ; a 
triangular spot on the fore part of the back ; the secondary quills, and 
the inner webs of most of the primaries, white ; bill yellowish-white. 
Female similar, but without red on the head. Gould. 
Male, 24, wing 12. 
Rocky Mountains and North California. 
Picus imperialis, Gould. Proceed, of Com. Sc. and Corresp. of Zool. Soc. of Lond. 
part ii. p. 140. 
Imperial Woodpecker, Picus imperialis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 313. 
257. 2. Picus principalis, Linn. Ivory -billed Woodpecker. 
Plate LX VI. Male and Female. 
Toes very long, fourth longer than third. An occipital crest of elon- 
gated linear feathers ; general colour glossy black, with blue reflec- 
tions on the upper, green on the lower parts ; crest rich carmine ; 
bristly feathers covering the nostrils, and a short band at the base of 
the upper mandible, a band on each side of the neck, from the cheek 
to the end of the scapulars, secondary quills, their bases excepted, 
and terminal portion of four inner secondaries, with the axillars and 
lower wing- coverts, white ; bill yellowish- white. Female similar, but 
with the crest black, and the lateral tail-feathers, with two patches of 
white at the tip. 
Male, 21, 80. Female, 19^, wing 10. 
Common in Texas, Louisiana, and along the Mississippi, to the 
Ohio. Rare on the latter, to Henderson. From Florida to North 
Carolina. Resident. 
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 20. 
Picus principalis. Bo nap. Syn. p. 44. 
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 564. 
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Picus principalis, Aun. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 341 ; v. v. 
p. 525. 
