WOODPECKERS 215 



The nests of the coek-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 reacli 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 ; 

 upper luandihle with an evident though short lateral ridge and nasal 

 g'roove. tip of bill more or less wedge-shaped ; outer hind toe not longer 

 than outer front toe. 



KEY TO ADUJLT MALES. 



1. Back barred with black and white. 



'2. Forehead yellow aurifrons. p. 218, 



'2'. Forehead not yellow. 



o. Middle of belly yellowish uropygialis. 2h). 



o. Middle of belly reddish Carolinus. p. 218. 



r.Back not barred. 



2. Belly rose color torquatus, p. 217. 



2'. Belly white. 



o. Head and neck red erythrocephalus. p. 2ir>. 



o'. Head with black, red, and white or yellow. 



4. Chest band streaked with white . . forniicivorus. p. 21(k 

 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.). Ked-headed 

 WoonrKCKKK. 



Adult male. — Whole head and t 



neck deep crimson ; under parts, rump, Ml^^^^ '' 



and patch on wings, white ; rest of S^KS' * 



U])per parts, glossy blue black. Adult MttltK M''- 



female: similar, but with more or less ^^^ JF '> 



transverse black sjjotting on inner sec- ^^^^^B W° } 



ondaries. and black collar more con- ■HP^ W I'^t'A^ 



.spicuous than in male. Young: red -H' '''j r'[ , 



and black of adults replaced by gray. Jit':''.' ' VSTMt'^' 



streaked witli darker on bead and ^"^Kf 'k.i' ^ ^ ^^ V 



ne(,'k, barred on rest of ujjjx-r parts; V^'^'^^M i 'i J 



secondaries crossed near ends liy one L^f^K • 'V ' 



(»r more black l)ands. LeiKjth : '.•.2.")- ' J Tv ^ i tf 



<.).7"). wing ."...•5()-.").7(), tail ;;.<)0-;;.7'.. ,y ' :'l^\ 



/h'strihutioii. — Br.'fding in Transi- ^ *X' 



tion. l'i)p»'rand Lower Sonoiaii /ones ,, „. , , ^, .r o t^ . r 



^ M -^ 1 .1 ^ .1 /' u- 1- 1 roin BjolOjficnl Stirvcy. U. S. Dept. of 



trom Manitob.i south to the (»ult ot AKrirulinre. 



Me.\ico. .ind trom (lie Atlantic lo tin- Fig. 28^ 



