GAIRDKER’S WOODPECKER. 
258 
length especially of the outer or reversed toe. Its bill is also considerably 
thicker at the base, although otherwise similar. Another difference presents 
itself in the relative length of some of the quills, the fifth being longest in 
P. Gairdnerii, the fourth in P. pubescens. 
Gairdner’s Woodpecker, Picus Gairdnerii , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 317. 
Length, 6 ; wing 3i|. 
Columbia River. 
Adult Male. 
Bill longish, straight, strong, tapering, angular, slightly compressed, and 
at the tip truncate ; mandibles of equal length, both straight in their outline, 
the ridge of the upper very narrow, its sides sloping, the lateral ridge nearer 
the margin ; the nostrils linear oblong, basal, concealed by tufts of reversed 
bristly feathers. 
Head of moderate size, ovate ; neck short. Feet short, rather strong ; 
tarsus with a few large scutella before, thin-edged behind, with a series of 
large scales along the inner side ; two toes before, two behind, the fourth or 
outer reversed toe considerably longer than the third, the first very short ; 
claws strong, much compressed, well curved, very acute, those of the third 
and fourth toes nearly equal and largest. 
Plumage very soft and blended ; feathers of the middle part of the back 
very long and downy. Wings large, rounded, the first quill eight-twelfths 
long, the second an inch and seven-twelfths longer, the third seven and a 
quarter twelfths longer than the second, and three quarters of a.twelfth 
shorter than the fourth, which is slightly exceeded by the fifth, the sixth a 
little shorter than the fourth ; secondaries very broad, truncate. Tail rather 
long, cuneate, of ten feathers, of which the lateral are eight-twelfths shorter 
than the middle, all more or less slit at the point. 
Bill greyish-blue, somewhat dusky above ; feet bluish-grey; claws light 
blue, dusky at the end. The top of the head is black, as are a broad band 
behind the eye, part of the loral space, a band below the cheek, as well as 
the scapulars, wings, and four middle tail-feathers ; there is a band of white 
over each eye, enlarging on the occiput and terminating in a broad band of 
bright crimson running across that part ; another white band from below the 
eye, curving behind the ears, nearly meeting on the hind neck ; the wings 
barred with squareish spots of white, and tipped with the same, there being 
on the outer webs of the third and fourth primaries five spots on the outer 
and four on the inner web ; most of the coverts are also tipped with a white 
spot ; a broad band of white down the middle of the back, the lateral tail- 
feathers are white, with two bars of black toward the end, and the base of 
