7 
( lr 4 } 
The three Toed Woo d-P ecker. 
T HIS Figure reprefents the Bird juft of the Bignefs of Life ; it agrees in Mag¬ 
nitude with our greated fpotted Wood-Pecker, or Fire-tail, as it is in feme 
Places call’d. 
Its Bill is fhaped as in all others of this Genus, (being as it were cut off at the Point, 
where it has fomething like the Edge of a Chifel in a perpendicular Direction) of a 
dirty Flefh-Colour, Black at the Point; the Nodrils are cover’d with fliff black Fea¬ 
thers growing forwards over them; the Crown of the Head is of a Gold Colour. 
The Sides of the Head, the upper Part of the Neck, the Back, and upper Side of 
the Tail and Wings are Black ; from behind the Eyes proceed faintifh white Lines tend¬ 
ing downward ; from the Angles of the Mouth there proceed alfo white Lines paffing 
beneath the Eyes. On the hinder Part of the Head, in the Middle of the Back, and 
on the Rump, fome of the black Feathers have white Tips; the outer or greater Quills 
are fpotted on their Webs with white Spots, the Spots fmall on the outer Webs, and lar¬ 
ger on the Inner; the middle Quills are Black, but thofe next the Back are variegated 
Black and White, as are the three outermod Feathers on each Side of the Tail; the 
under Side from Bill to Tail is White; the inner Coverts of the Wings, and the 
Sides of the Body are variegated with tranfverfe waved Lines of Black and 
White. The Legs, Feet and Claws are of a brown Colour. What is mod ex¬ 
traordinary in this Bird is, its having only three Toes, two Handing forward and one 
backward; all others of this Tribe I have met with having two forward and two 
backward. The back Toe on this Bird, in Confideration of its being fingle, is dronger 
than either of thofe forward, and is armed with a longer Claw. This Bird may be 
known from all others, the Feet being lingular, and the only one I have met with, 
with Feet fo formed : There are indeed many Birds with only three Toes on a Foot, 
but they have them all Handing forwards. . 
Two of thefe Birds were brought from Hudfon's-Bay by Mr. TJham, and another 
I have feen in the Hands of Mr. Henry Baker , F. R. S. which all agreed in the 
Strudure of their Feet, as well as in other Refpeds. I had imagin’d this Bird to be 
a Non-defcript, but believe I am midaken ; for happening to fee a Natural Hiftory of 
the Animals of Sweden, by Carol. Linneus , publifhed at Leyden , Ann. 1746, I find a 
Wood-Pecker deferib’d, P. 30. which very nearly anfwers my Defcription. He 
gives its Name and Place thus : Ficus pedibus tridadlylis , Habitat in alpibus Dalekar - 
licis. This he extrads from Acad. Stockholm , 1740, P.222. So that it is an Inha¬ 
bitant of the very Northern Parts both of Europe and America. As the above-men¬ 
tioned Author has given no Figure of this Bird, this Draught is, I believe, the fird 
that has been exhibited. 
The 
