334 HISTORY OF THE 



Genus MELANERPES Swainson. 



"Bill about equal to tlie head; broader thau high at the base, but becoming 

 compressed immediately anterior to the commencement, of the gonys. Culmen 

 and gonys with a moderately decided angular ridge; both decidedly curved from 

 the very base. A rather prominent acute ridge commences at the base of the 

 mandible, a little below the ridge of the culmen, and proceeds but a short dis- 

 tance anterior to the nostrils (about one-third of the way), when it sinks down 

 and the bill is then smooth. The lateral outlines are gently concave from the 

 basal two-thirds; then gently convex to the tip, which does not exhibit any ab- 

 rupt beveling. Nostrils open, broadly oval; not concealed by the feathers, nor 

 entirely basal. Fork of chin less than half lower jaw. The outer pair of toes 

 equal. Wings long, broad, lengthened. Tail feathers broad, with lengthened 

 points. 



"The species all have the back black, without any spots or streaks any- 

 where." 



Subgenus MELANERPES. 



Back, scapulars and wing coverts plain glossy blackish (grayish, indistinctly 

 barred with dusky in the young of M. erythrocephalus). Lower parts, rump 

 and upper tail coverts white; plumage of neck and lower parts soft, blended; 

 wing less thau 6.00. {Bidgway.) 



Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linx.). 



RED-HEADED WOODPECBZER. 

 PLATE XXn. 



Summer resident; common. Occasionally linger into the win- 

 ter. Begin laying about the middle of May. 



B. 94. R. 375. C. 453. G. 172, 157. U. 406. 



Habitat. Eastern provinces of the United States, westward 

 to within the Kocky Mountains, and occasionally to California. 



Sp. Char. "Head and neck all round crimson red, margined by a narrow 

 crescent of black on the upper part of breast. Back, primary quills and tail 

 bluish black. Under parts generally, a broad band across the middle of the 

 wings, and the rump, white. The female is not different. Bill bluish white, 

 darker terminally; iris chestnut; feet olive gray. Young: Without any red, 

 the head and neck being grayish streaked with dusky; breast with an ashy tinge, 

 and streaked sparsely with dusky; secondaries with two or three bands of black; 

 dorsal region clouded with grayish." 



stretch of 

 length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 9.50 17.50 5.50 3.35 .85 1.00 



Female... 9.25 17.00 5.40 3.30 .85 1.00 



Iris dark brown; bill light blue, darkest along the ridge and 

 at tips; legs and feet olive blue; claws black. 



