NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF TENNESSEE — WETMORE 191 



COLAPTES AURATUS BOREALIS Ridgway": Boreal Flicker 



Though not induded in the fourth edition of the A. O. U. Check- 

 list in 1931, I can see no reason for not recognizing the boreal flicker 

 of Ridgway, with a breeding range across the north from Labrador 

 to Alaska and extending south from the northern limit of trees to the 

 northern border of the United States from northern Minnesota to 

 eastern Montana. The majority of the breeding birds from this area 

 have wing measurements ranging from 160 to 171 mm, dimensions 

 that are considerably more than those of G. a. luteus to the south. 

 When birds of this maximiun size occur in the south it is during fall, 

 winter, and spring, when they may be assumed to be migrants from 

 the north. 



Two of these large northern birds are included in the collection 

 from Tennessee — a male taken by W. H. Fox at Rockwood on April 

 1, 1885 (wing 164), and a female from Hickory Withe secured by 

 Perry go and Lingebach on April 12, 1937 (wing 164). 



CEOPHLOEUS PILEATUS PILEATUS (Linnaeus): Southern Pileated 



Woodpecker 



Specimens of this fine woodpecker were obtained as follows: Reel- 

 foot Lake (Obion County), April 26; 4 miles west of Hornbeak, May 

 3 ; 8 miles north of Waynesboro, May 14 ; 6 miles east of Frankewing, 

 in Lincoln County, November 3; 7 miles southwest of Crossvilie, May 

 27 ; Rockwood, April 12, 1884, and Roane County, April 6, 1885 (W. H. 

 Fox) ; Shady Valley, June 10 ; 4 miles southeast of Cosby, Cocke 

 County, at 2,700 feet in the Great Smoky Mountains, June 30; Big 

 Frog Mountain, 8 miles southwest of Copperhill, July 10 and 12. 

 After careful comparison of this excellent series all are identified as 

 of the typical race pileatus. The wing in males ranges from 216.5 to 

 229 mm, except for one from Crossvilie that measures 236.6 ; in females 

 from 213 to 225.7 mm. The large individual from Crossvilie is within 

 the minimum range for G. f. abieticola and is a strong, robust bird. 

 Though it stands out rather sharply from the others and appears 

 somewliat intermediate, it is not sufficiently large in my opinion to call 

 it the northern subspecies. It will be noted that birds from the moun- 

 tains near the eastern border agree in size with pileatus, a male from 

 Shady Valley (2,900 feet) having the wing 222.5 mm and a female 

 from near Cosby (2,700 feet) in the Great Smoky Mountains measur- 

 ing 223.5 mm. 



The pileated woodpecker was especially common in Lake and Obion 

 Counties in the vicinity of Reelfoot Lake. One was seen near Hickory 



^ Colaptea av.ratus borealis Ridgway, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 24, Feb. 2-1, 1911, 

 p, 31 (Nulato, lower Yukon River, Alaska). 

 106951—39 3 



