MELANERPES. 425 
sent by Bullock from the “ maritime land’ of Mexico. It was no doubt from the 
western slope of the central highlands, as all subsequent records show that it is 
strictly confined to Western Mexico from the State of Sinaloa to those of Guerrero 
and Puebla. 
Grayson, who observed M. elegans at Mazatlan as well as at Guadalajara, Tepic, and 
in Sonora, has some interesting notes concerning it. He saysit is one of the commonest 
species inhabiting the region of Mazatlan, and is noted for boring its nest in the giant 
cactus (Cereus giganteus), in which, with wonderful perseverance and labour amid 
innumerable sharp spines of this singular plant, it picks out a hole slanting down- 
wards sufficiently ample for its nest. The entrance is just sufficiently large, but the 
hole gradually widens as it descends to the depth of six or eight inches, where the eggs 
are deposited on the bare wood. Both male and female work at the nest till finished. 
The nest once made is used for some years, if not too much distorted by the growth of 
the plant. This Woodpecker, however, does not confine itself to the cactus for 
making its nest: the smooth trunk of the palm is also a favourite; sometimes as 
many as two or three nests may be seen in the stem of one palm. 
The eggs are generally three in number and of a transparent white. 
13. Melanerpes hypopolius. 
Picus hypopolius, Wag]. Isis, 1829, p. 514’. 
Centurus hypopolius, Cab. J. f. Orn. 1862, p. 329%; Lawr. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 85°; 
Sumichrast, La Nat. v. p. 240*; Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. iv. p. 118°; Ferrari-Perez, 
Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 160°. 
Melanerpes hypopolius, Hargitt, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xviii. p. 1867. 
Supra niger, dorso toto et alis albo transfasciatis, uropygio albo nigro striato; capite, collo et corpore subtus - 
fuscis, fronte pallidiore, pileo medio coccineo, oculorum ambitu nigro, ciliis albis, area infra oculos coccineo 
lavata; abdomine medio albo, imo et tectricibus subcaudalibus albidis nigro transfasciatis; cauda nigra, 
rectricibus mediis in pogonio interno ad basin albo fasciatis, rectricibus subexternis quoque fasciatis, 
remigibus quatuor externis in pogonio externo omnino nigris, reliquis ad basin albo fasciatis, subalaribus 
albis nigro variegatis ; rostro et pedibus plumbeis. Long. tota circa 8°0, ale 5-0, caudex 3:3, rostri 
a rictu 2:25, tarsi 0-8, dig. med. absque ungue 0°65, dig. ext. 0°6. (Descr. maris ex Epatlan, Mexico. 
Mus. nostr.) 
© mari similis, sed pileo summo omnino fusco. 
Hab. Mexico (Wagler ', le Strange), Tehuacan (Mus. Berol.?, Sumichrast +), Tecuapan 
(Mus. Berol.*), Huehuetlan °, Izucar de Matamoros ®, San Miguel Molino, Chietla, 
San Bartolo, Epatlan (ferrari-Perez), Chapulco (Sumichrast? +), Sierra Madre del 
Sur (Mrs. H. H. Smith). 
Melanerpes hypopolius was described by Wagler in 1829, from Mexican specimens 
in the Berlin Museum !, which Dr. Cabanis since informs us were from Tehuacan and 
Tecuapan in the State of Puebla?. Our subsequent records of this bird show that it is 
nearly restricted in its range to this State, though it is also found in that of Guerrero, 
where Mrs. Herbert Smith secured a specimen in the Sierra Madre del Sur. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. II., March 1895. 54 
