This bird remains with us all winter ; the female deposits her five white eggs in May, and the young are hatched in June.
P. Pubesccns. Downy Woodpecker, smallest woodpecker of Catesby. This is the smallest of all our woodpeckers, and is the species to which the term S.p.Sucker is most usually applied, be ing exceeding common in orchards, &c. where the apple and other seem to be his favourite hunting places ; in his pursuit of the larva of insects, he forms those circular and regular bands of small round holes which are so often seen on apple trees. This species bears a very striking resemblance to the pre. ceding at first view, appearing to differ from it only by its more diminutive sta ture, but it is, nevertheless, an entirely distinct species. Length six and three quarter inches, extent twelve inches ; the same description will serve Mr this as for the preceding, excepting that the rump, tail, coverts, and four middle fea thers of the tail above, are black ; the three white feathers of the tail on each side are spotted with black. The female is destitute of the scarlet spot on the hind part of the head.
P. Varius, or the yellow-bellied wood pecker of Catesby, is a companion of the two preceding species, to which also it bears some resemblance, and has in con sequence received the same vulgar name of Sap-Sucker, from those who do take the trouble to observe the differen ces between the objects before them. Length eight and a half, extent fifteen inches ; crown of the head and throat deep scarlet bordered with black, sides of the head and neck white, with a black stripe from the eye running down the neck ; bead slightly crested ; back dusky yellowish, sprinkled and waved black wings black, with a large oblong white spot drawn from the shoulder, the prima ries and three inner secondaries variegated with white ; rump white with a black bor der ; belly yellow, on each side rather dar ker and marked with numerous sagittate spots ; tail black, the two outer feathers edged with white, inner ones edged on the inside with white. The female is destitute of the scarlet mark on the throat, this part is white; lays about four white eggs the latter end of May. They are found in all parts of the United States, and do not migrate.
P. Carolinas, Red-bellied Woodpecker of Wilson, famalea Woodpecker of Ed wards. This is another of those of this genus, whose back, wings, &c. are barred or spotted with black And white, and have more or less of red about the head; they generally bear to each other a pret ty strong resemblance. The present spe cies is a general inhabitant of the United States, and although less frequent near houses or without the covert of a wood, yet he is well known every where as one of the Sap-Suckers. Length ten inches, extent
seventeen. Head above, hind neck down to the back to the shoulders, golden red polished; sides of the head and neck pale buff, which on the belly becomes of a yel lowish ash colour stained with sanguine ous. The back is black, banded with curv ing lines of white, the wings also black, with white bands of spots ; rump white, with a few black spots ; the Vent and thigh feathers whitish, with cordate and sagit tate spots ; the leathers of the front of the head are of a dull yellowish red. In the female the black colour is less intense, and about an inch in length of the crown of the head is cinereons. They sometimes, for the purpose of nidifi cation, scoop a cavity out of the solid wood, but more commonly choose some hollow limb, which it. re quires less labour to adapt to their pur poses. The female lays five white eggs in April, and the young appear the be ginning of June.
P. querulus, or red-cockaded wood pecker, was discovered by Mr, Wilson in the state of North-Carolina, and was first described by him ; it is an inhabitant of -the southern states, and has not yet been found as far north as Pennsylvania ; it is closely allied to the preceding species, and to the P. villosus ; it is however smell. • er : length seven and a half inches, ex tent thirteen ; head above black, region of the eyes, cheeks and sides of the neck, white ; hairs over the nostrils whitish, a black line from the base of the lower mandible passes to the shoulder of the wing, where it disappears in spots on the side of the breast, each side of the head, above the eye, a vermillion line ; back black, with about twelve transverse white bands, wings black, with white spots ; rump black, varied with white ; tail with the four inner feathers black, the others spotted with white ; vent white, with black spots. In the female, the rod mark is wanting ; in other respects she resem bles the male ; feeds upon Coleopterous insects: P. torquatua, Lewis's woodpecker, is a bird of remarkable aspect ; it was disco vered by Lewis and Clark, during. their memorable and eventful journey across the continent to the Pacific ocean ; and was described by Mr. Wilson, from se veral skins brought to Philadelphia by those travellers. It was in length eleven and a half inches ; back, wings and tail glossed with green ; head black, with the front region of the eyes, cheeks and chin, dark red ; a broad col lar of white round the neck passesover the breast, with hair-like feathers ; belly deep vermillion, and- with the same. strong hair-like feathers intermixed with silvery ones, vent black. Of its history, we know nothing, neither can we say any thing about the difference of the colouring in the sexes.