NORTHERN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER. 
65 
Fort William on Lake Superior, and throughout the north-west, 
in hilly and wooded tracts. In the United States it is only a rare 
and occasional winter visitant, never having been received by us 
except from the northern territory of the state of Maine. The 
species, contrary to what is observed of most other Arctic birds, 
does not appear to extend so far south comparatively as in 
Europe, though it is not improbable that on this continent it may 
also inhabit some unexplored mountainous districts, resembling 
the wild regions where only it is found in Europe. In both 
continents, the species affects deep forests among mountains, the 
hilly countries of northern Asia and Europe, and the very lofty 
chains of central Europe, whose elevation compensates for their 
more southern latitude. It is exceedingly common in Siberia, 
is abundant in Norway, Lapland, and Dalecarlia, among the 
gorges of Switzerland and the Tyrol, especially in forests of 
pines. It is not uncommon in the canton of Berne, in the forests 
near Interlaken, though very rare in Germany and the more 
temperate parts of Europe. It is well known even to breed in 
Switzerland, and deposits, in holes formed in pine-trees, four or 
five eggs of a brilliant whiteness; its voice and habits are 
precisely the same as those of the spotted Woodpeckers. Its 
food consists of insects and their larvae and eggs, and sometimes 
seeds and berries. It is easily decoyed by imitating its voice. 
This species is eminently distinguished among the North 
American and European Woodpeckers, by having only three 
toes, the inner hind toe being wanting; besides which it has 
other striking peculiarities, its bill being remarkably broad, and 
flattened, and its tarsi covered with feathers half their length: 
the tongue is moreover not cylindrical, but flat and serrated at 
the point, which conformation we have however observed in the 
three European spotted Woodpeckers, and in the American 
Picus varius , villosus , pubescens , and querulus. In all these species 
VOL. II.—R 
