BKEWSTER: birds of the cape region, lower CALIFORNIA. 109 



late white ; the under wing coverts, usually profusely mottled and barred with 

 biuckish, are sometimes nearly plain ; while the outer webs of the outer pair 

 of tail feathers, as a rule notched distinctly with yellow, are occasionally plain 

 black. The black markings on the under parts vary considerably in number and 

 size, some specimens being profusely and heavily, others sparsely and finely, 

 spotted. The barring of the upper parts is similarly variable, a few birds hav- 

 iii.c the dark bars nearly obsolete on the back, although they are iisually broad 

 and distinct. None of my specimens show any red on the occiput or tinge of 

 rerldish in the yellow of the wings and tail ; nor have any of the males black 

 mixed with the red of the moustache. The ends of the wings and tail, as well 

 a? most of the under parts, are sometimes stained with umber, as in several 

 other species of Woodpeckers from this region. 



Seasonal variations : — Specimens in fresh autumn plumage have the general 

 coloring a trifle clearer than do spring birds. I am unable to detect any other 

 differences which can be associated with season. 



^Ir. Belding and Mr. Frazar agree as to the rarity of the Gilded Flicker on 

 the higher mountains, where only a few individuals were seen by the former, 

 and but two (both females, taken on the Sierra de la Laguna, April 29) 

 obtained by the latter. The bird's true home is evidently at the bases of the 

 mountains, and among their foot-hills extending thence to the shores of the 

 Pacific on the south and west, to those of the Gulf on the east. Throughout 

 this region it is a common species, although not so numerously represented 

 as Melanerpes urojnjgialis. On the arid plains near the coast it breeds in the 

 stems of the giant cactus. Mr. Bryant found it " rare on Santa Margarita 

 Inland," but it was " generally encountered along the overland route." Mr. 

 Anthony has said that its " northwestern range " on the Peninsula " is almost, 

 if not quite, the same " as that of M. uropygialis} but soon after making this 

 statement he found that the birds which occur in northern Lower California 

 differ from those of the Cape Region "in darker upper parts and slightly 

 smaller size." He has accordingly proposed to recognize the former as repre- 

 senting a distinct subspecies under the name Colajites chrijsoides brunnescens.^ 

 This form is said to be confined to northern Lower California, while typical 

 chrysoides occurs not only in the central and southern portions of the Peninsula, 

 but in Arizona and northwestern Mexico, also. 



Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nitidus Brewst. 

 Frosted Poor-will. 



Phalaenoptilus nuWdli (not C'lprimnlfjns nuttallii Acdubon) Belding, Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mas., VL 1883, 349 (Victoria Mts.). 



I have only a pair of these Poor-wills from the Cape Region, both taken on 

 the Sierra de la Laguna, the male on June 2, the female on June 6. They 



1 Auk, XII. 1895, 139. 2 Auk, Loc. cit., 3i7. 



