265. 10. Picus pubescens, Linn. Downy Woodpecker.
Plate CXII. Male and Female.
Bill much shorter than the head, slender; fourth toe considerably longer than third; fourth quill longest; upper bristles over the nostrils yellowish, tipped with black; upper part of the head glossy black; a band of white over the eye ending in a scarlet occipital band; then a band of black from the eye to the hind neck, succeeded by one of white from the angle of the mouth, curving so as nearly to meet its fellow on the hind neck, and a black band from the lower mandible down the side of the neck. Upper parts black; feathers along the middle of the back tipped with white; coverts and quills spotted with white, there being six spots on the outer, and five on the inner webs of the four longest primaries, the outermost quill with one patch of white on the inner web, and the next with four spots on each web; outer small tail-feathers white, with a single black spot, next two white, with two terminal black bands, the rest variegated, except the two middle, which are black. Female without red.
Male, 63/4, 12.
Breeds from Texas to Labrador, and northward to Lat. 58°. Common throughout the interior to the eastern bases of the Rocky Mountains. In every district, a constant resident.
Downy Woodpecker, Picus pubescens, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 153.
Picus pubescens, Bonap. Syn. p. 46.
Picus (Dendrocopus) pubescens, Downy Woodpecker, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 307.
Downy Woodpecker, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 576.
Downy Woodpecker, Picus pubescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 81; v. v. p. 539.
266. 11. Picus Gairdnerii, Aud. Gairdner's Woodpecker.
Not figured.
Bill shorter than the head, slender; fourth toe considerably longer than third, fifth quill longest; black above, with a scarlet occipital band, brownish-white beneath; spotted with white, and in all respects as to colour like the last species, only the spots on the wings are much smaller, and the patch of red brocade; the toes and bill larger.
Length, 68/12; wing, 310/12.