PHILLIP’S WOODPECKER. 
239 
first small, but stout ; third and fourth about the same length ; second and 
third united at the base ; all scutellate above. Claws large, much curved, 
compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. 
Plumage very soft, full, and blended. A tuft of reversed stiffish feathers 
on each side of the base of the upper mandible, concealing the nostrils ; the 
.feathers in the angle of the lower mandible also stiffish, and directed 
forwards. Wings rather long ; the first quill very small, the second five- 
twelfths of an inch shorter than the third, the fourth longer than the latter 
by one-twelfth, but scarcely exceeding the fifth ; secondaries broad and 
rounded. Tail of moderate length, cuneate, of twelve feathers, of which the 
lateral are only an inch and a quarter long and rounded, the next an inch 
and two-twelfths shorter than the middle, the rest worn and slit at the tip. 
Bill dusky, its margins pale at the base. Iris red. Feet bluish-grey, 
claws dusky. The tufts of feathers covering the nostrils are yellowish-white; 
the fore part of the head to a little beyond the top orange-yellow ; the 
cciput and hind neck glossy black; over each eye is a band of white passing 
to behind the auriculars ; a black band from above the angle of the mouth to 
the eye, and behind it, including the auriculars ; below this a white band 
orom the angle of the mouth joining that over the eye ; and lastly, a narrower 
black band from the lower mandible. The upper parts are black, tinged 
with brown behind ; the feathers along the middle of the back tipped with 
white ; some of the wing-coverts are tipped with white, and the quills 
spotted with the same, there being on the four largest primaries seven spots 
on the outer, and five on the inner web. The four middle tail-feathers are 
glossy black, the rest black towards the base, that colour gradually diminish- 
ing so that the outermost is almost entirely white. The lower parts are 
white. 
Length to end of tail I82 inches; bill along the ridge 1 T \, along the 
edge of lower mandible I/2 ; wing from flexure 5 ; tail 3 T V ; tarsus ?i; inner 
toe its claw ^ ; second toe ,A, its claw fi ; third toe T 8 2, its claw,% ; 
fourth toe its claw T 6 2. 
This species is about the same size as P. canadensis, which it also 
resembles in colour, but is distinguished by the yellow patch on the head, 
and its thicker and more pointed bill. 
