PIC US V1LL0SUS. 
239 
globe. The probable extinction of any species of bird appears to me worthy the attention 
of the National Government, for such a calamity is to be deplored by the entire Scientific 
World. Some efforts have been made by the Florida legislature to protect birds which 
occur in that state from wanton destruction but I understand that these laws have been 
repealed. If this be a fact, such a proceeding cannot be too severely censured for, unless 
such attractive birds as the Herons, Spoonbills, Parokeets, Anhingas, Ivory-billed Wood¬ 
peckers, etc., etc., be protected by urgent laws, it will not be many years before Florida, 
once so famous for the varied hues of her feathered tribe which added so much to the pict¬ 
uresque beauty of her wi nding streams and wooded shores; Florida! the land of flowers and 
of birds, will have lost one of her greatest charms—the birds: and, if it were possible for 
the hand of vandalism to destroy them, I doubt if it would even leave her the flowers. 
Should not we, then, who love to contemplate the unmolested beauties of Nature, make an 
effort to preserve them for the enjoyment of the coming generations? I, for one, think so 
and let us keep in mind that, if this is to be done at all, it must be done quickly, certainly 
as regards such birds as the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. 
GENUS VII. PIOUS. THE BLACK AND WHITE WOODPECKERS. 
Gen. Cn. Sternum, not twice as wide as the height of the heel. Marginal indentations, nearly equal in depth to the 
heigth of the heel; outer, more shallow than inner. Manubrium, moderate. Terminal hooh of scapula, variable. Tongue, 
provided with a long, extensible sheath, while the cerato-hyals are greatly elongated and extend around the bach of the skull. 
Prooentriculus, small. Stomach, not very muscular. Salivary glands, not very well developed. Both mandibles, straight. 
Head , not crested. 
In members of this genus, the prevailing color above is black, relieved by white markings and the males are marked, to 
a greater or less extent, on the occiput with scarlet. The tail feathers are very acuminate. The hind toe is less than one 
half the length of the outer which is projected backward. The head is not strickingly large nor is the neck very thin. The 
bill is about equal to the head in length. There are no laryngeal muscles, excepting the sterno-trachealis' which is very 
stout. The tympaniform membrane - is present and although there is an os transversale, yet it does not support a semilunar 
membrane. The oesophagus is without dilatation and opens into a small proventriculus which measures about * 15 in exter¬ 
nal diameter by ‘30 in length in borealis. The gastric glands are rather numerous, simple, and occupy a zonular band. The 
stomach is rather globular in form and quite large, while the walls are not very thick, and the lining membrane is finely ru¬ 
gose. The fold of the duodenum is not very long, inclosing a wide pancreas. The spleen is anelliptical body lying over 
the cardiac opening of the stomach. Both lobes of the liver are about equal in size. There are three species within our 
limits. 
PICUS VILLOSUS. 
Hairy Woodpecker. 
Picus villosus Linn., Syst. Nat., I; 1766, 175. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout. Tongue, rather thin and horny at the tip which is provided 
with barbs for one third of the terminal length. The extensible sheath occupies about one half of the length of the tongue. 
Terminal hook of scapula, angled above and below. 
Color. Adult male. Glossy black above, including sides of head and' line extending down on to the the sides, with 
the bristly feathers at base of bill, linn extending from just in front of eye, inclosing it, and reaching occiput, line from the 
base of bill, running down sides of neck, broad line along middle of back, spots on outer webs of wing feathers, all but ba¬ 
sal portion of three outer tail feathers, and tips of next pair, white. Patches on sides of occiput, scarlet. Under portion, 
including under wing coverts, white, with the latter spotted with black on the center of the second row of feathers. 
Adult female. Similar to the male, but lacks the scarlet on the head which is replaced by black, and the white on the 
tail is not as extended. 
