WOODPECKERS 213 



patch on wing coverts, and fine white spots on quills ; sides of liead with 

 two white stripes ; throat and breast bhick. 

 witli a median stripe of bright red;, belly 



bright yellow. Adult female : entire body 



barred with brown or bhick and white, except ^vg. 2Ti). Williamson Sapsucker. 

 for brown head and white rump and. rarely, a 



red median stripe on throat ; chest usually with a black patch ; middle of 

 belly yellow. Youny male : similar to adult male, but black duller, belly 

 paler, throat stripe white. Young female : similar to adult female, but 

 markings and colors duller, bellv whitisli, and chest without black patch. 

 Length: 0.00-U.T5, wing- .■).2.")-.*;..jO. tail ;J.80-:;.90, bill 1.00-1.20. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Transition and Canadian zones in the western 

 United States from the eastern slopes of the Kocky Mountains to the west- 

 ern spurs of the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and northern coast rang'es ; south 

 to New Mexico and Arizona ; winters in southern California, New Mexico, 

 western Texas, and Sierra Madre to Jalisco, Mexico. 



Nest. — In pines and aspens, 5 to (30 feet from the g'round. J^ggs : o to 

 7, white. 



Food. — Mainly insects and their larvae. 



The Williamson sapsucker is one of the handsomest birds one sees 

 in tlie forest, but ordinarily it flies from tree to tree before you and its' 

 l)lack back and Avhite rump and wing patches are all that are seen. 

 After several weeks of such fleeting glimpses in the Sierra Nevada, 

 we were delighted by the discovery of a pair at home on their own 

 breeding grounds. The place, Lincoln Valley above Sierra Valley, 

 was close to the crest of the range, at an elevation of seven thousand 

 feet. The nest was in a stub in a group of huge Murray pines on 

 the edge of one of the most beautiful of the Sierra mountain meadows 

 — a forest-encircled meadow brilliant with golden buttercups. It 

 seemed a right royal home for such noble birds. AVhile I watched 

 the nest the male with his glossy coat, yellow belly, and red tlu'oat 

 came flying in, his bill bristling with insects; but feeling himself 

 observed, prompt!}^ sidled out of sight under the branches. 



GENUS CEOPHLCEUS. 



405a. Ceophloeus pileatus abieticola Hangs. Nokthkrn 



PiLKATI 1) \V<JOI)PK.(KKK : CoCK-OK-TllK-WoODS. 



Head consj)icuously crested; bill longer than liead, straight, with wedg'e- 

 like tip, l)('veled sides, and strong- ridges, broader than high at l)ase ; nos- 

 trils concealed by larg^e nasal tufts; feet pecidiar, outer hind toe shorter 

 than outer front toe ; tarsus shorter than inner front toe and claw. 



Adult male. — Brownish or grayish black ; entire top of head, oci-ipital 

 crest, and malar stri])i' bright red ; chin and wide stripe on sidi' of head 

 wliite, or sulpliui' yellow ; i)atclies on wings .ind undi'r wing coverts white ; 

 feathei-s of belly tipped witli whitish. Adult female : similar, but fore- 

 part of head and i;ial.'ir stripe brown instead of red. Young: siniil.ir to 

 feniale, but crest salmon. Male: wing- 1>, tail (».:]1. exjxised cnlmen L'.O.*). 



Distribution. — Heavily wooded regions of North America from the 

 southern Alleghanies northward to about latitude (»:',' and westward to 

 Pacific coast. 



