WOODPECKERS 215 



The nests of the cock-of-the-woods show their power more than 

 their borings, for they are cut into the solid trunks of live trees. 

 Though well up out of reach they are made conspicuous by half a 

 bushel of fresh chips scattered over the ground around the tree. 

 The cavity goes back for about six inches and then down a foot and 

 a half, and the large white eggs rest on a soft bed of clean fresh 

 chips. The same tree is often used year after year, but never the 

 same hole. A fresh one is excavated each year and the old ones left 

 for occupation by saw- whet owls, wood ducks, and flying squirrels. 



GENUS MELANERPES. 



General Characters. — Bill about as long- as head, distinctly curved ; 

 upjjer mandible with an evident thong-h short lateral ridg-e and nasal 

 groove, tip of bill more or less wedge-shaped ; outer hind toe not longer 

 than outer front toe. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES. 



1. Back barred with black and white. 



2. Forehead yellow aurifrons, p. 218. 



2'. Forehead not yellow. 



:J. Middle of belly yellowish uropygialis, 219. 



;5'. Middle of belly reddish carolinus, p. 218. 



r. Back not barred. 



2. Belly rose color torquatus, p. 217. 



2'. Belly white. 



.!. Head and neck red erythroceplialus. p. 215. 



H . Head with black, red, and white or yellow. 



4. Chest band streaked with white . . formioivorus. p. 216. 

 4'. Chest band solid black bairdi, p. 217. 



Subgenus Melanerpes. 

 Colors in large masses ; outer hind toe and outer front toe of equal lengths. 



406. Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). Red-headbd 



AVOODPECKER. , 



Adult male. — Whole head and I 

 neck deep crimson ; under parts, rump, 

 and patch on wings, white ; rest of 



upper parts, glossy blue black. Adult ^■^'JMl K 



feiiiah' : siniil.ir. but with more or less 7* ' ^ ^ ^^^^^^yfln ' ) )'' 



transverse black spotting on inner sec- ^»i^^^^B 'WS- H -f 



ondaries, and black collar more con- '?^m|HH'Bi^' 



spicuons tlian in male. Young: red yl^*f^Zvil 



and black of adults replaced by gray, /'^f^\'^M'iKI!\' \ W".W^>"!iN 



streaked with darker on head and Mji 



neck, barred on rest of u])])er parts; •^-vY"' 



secondaries crossed near ends i)y one 'V'ii^T^^w^^ liy^ 



or more ]>lack bands. Li-)i(jlh : 9.25- '/* J^JWLlLA^f ■■ *j^ 



9.7.*), wing :).;{o-r,.7(), tail ;;.<H)-;;.7r). '^jCV^m' i ^'" 



hhtrxhntum. — Breeding in Transi- 

 tion, I'i)|)er and Lower Sonoran zones ,, ,..,,., tt o t\ . ^t 

 . xV ' . , , , /I ir r Irom Biological .><urvry, U. S. Dept. of 

 from Manitoba south to the (mlt ot At'rieulture. 



Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Fig. >'81. 



