PICID.E — THE WOODPECKERS. 



579 



Sp. Char. Shafts and under surfaces of wing and tail feathers orange-red. Male with a 

 red patcli on each side the cheek ; uape without red crescent ; sometimes very faint 

 indications laterally. Throat and stripe 



beneath the eye bluish-ash. Back 

 glossed with purplisli-brown. Female 

 without the red cheek-patch. Length, 

 about 13.00; wing, over G.50. 



Additional Cuaracters. Spots on 

 the belly, a crescent on the breast, and 

 interrupted transverse bands on the 

 back, black. 



Hab. Western North America from 

 Pacitio to the Black Hills ; north to 

 Sitka on the coast. Localities: 

 Oaxaca (ScL. P. Z. S. 18.58, 305) ; 

 Vera Cruz, alpine regions (Scmichrast, 

 Mem. Bost. Soc. I,"^ 1869, 562) ; San 

 Antonio, Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865. 

 470) ; W. Arizona (Codes, P. A. N. S. 

 1866, 56). 



..^b^ 



Colftpft^ tnerirnn 



Tlie female is similar iu every 

 way, perhaps a little smaller, bitt lacks the red mustache. Tliis is, however, 

 indicated by a brown tinge over an area corresponding with that of the red 

 of the male. 



In the present specimen (1,886) there is a slight indication of an inter- 

 rupted nuchal red band, as in tlie common Flicker, in some crimson fibres 

 to some of tlie feathers about as far liehind tlie eye as this is from the bill. 

 A large proportion of males before us ex]iil)it the same characteristic, some 

 more, some less, although it generally ret^uires careful examination for its 

 detection. It may possibly be a characteristic of the not fully mature bird, 

 although it occurs in two out of tliree male specimens. 



There is a little variation iu the size of the pectoral crescent and spots ; 

 the latter are sometimes rounded or oblong cordate, instead of circular. 

 The bill varies as much as three or four tenths of an inch. The rump, 

 usually immaculate, sometimes has a few black streaks. The extent of the 

 red whisker varies a little. In skins from Oregon and Washington the color 

 of the back is as described ; in those from California and New Mexico it is 

 of a grayer cast. There is little, if any, variation in the shade of red in the 

 whiskers and quill-feathers. The head is washed on the forehead with 

 rufous, passing into ashy on the nape. 



There is not only some difference in the size of this species, in the same 

 locality, but, as a general rule, the more southern specimens are smaller. 



This species is distinct from the C. mcxicanoidcs of Lafresnaye, though 

 somewhat resembling it. It is, however, a smaller bird ; the red of the 

 cheeks is deeper ; the whole upper part of the head and neck uniform reddish- 

 cinnamon without any ash, in marked contrast to that on the sides of the 



