PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 431 



uncommon residents. It occiirred to me wliile in Marysville, in June, 

 that by shooting more young from a family, some liglit miglit be thrown 

 on the subject,* but in no case did I succeed in getting more than one. 



[This series is one of great interest, as showing that the so-called 

 "Hybrid Flicker" is by no means confined to the region Avhere the 

 ranges of the true auratus and mexicanus join or blend. Dr. Cooper re- 

 cords (Orn. Cal. i, p. 412, note) "two or more specimens" from near 

 Oakland, Cal.; and the writer observed, on several occasions, in the 

 extreme western portion of Nevada, Flickers having pure yellow shafts, 

 and so much resembling, at the distance from which they were observed, 

 the C. auratus or C. clirysoides^ that they were doubtfully referred to one 

 or the other of these species (see Orn. 40th Parallel, p. 557). This proba- 

 ble error was based upon geographical considerations, the chances against 

 their being the C. hyhridus being the assumed scarcity of this species 

 west of the Missouri region, taken together with the known tendency of 

 strictly Eastern species to straggle westward, even to the very fi'ontiers 

 of California (e. g., Tyrannus carolmensis and JEctopisfes migratoria in 

 western iSTevada), and the possible northward extension of the range of 

 C. chrysoides to the district indicated. 



None of the specimens collected by Mr. Belding have black moustaches, 

 and he says that he has seen none thus marked. He considers the occur- 

 rence of the scaiiet occipital crescent quite frequent, however, as is also 

 the admixture of yellow feathers in the wings and tail, or the entire 

 replacement of the red of the one species and the pure yellow of the 

 other by a tint more or less intermediate between tlie two. One speci- 

 men corresponds very nearly to C ^'■ayresV^ of Audubon, having red 

 moustaches, gray throat, and yellow shafts ; the latter have a decided 

 orange cast, however, while there is merely a trace of the occipital 

 crescent. The most interesting specimen of all is one of which, unfor- 

 tunately, only the wings and tail were sent. In this, the remiges and 

 rectrices are deep red as in tyi)ical mexicanus^ with the exception of the 

 middle pair of the latter and one secondary (the corresponding one) of 

 each wing, which are i)ure gamboge-yellow, without a trace of orange, 

 the contrast being thus very striking. Another specimen, of which only 

 the tail was sent, is similar, except that the middle tail-feathers are i)ale 

 pinkish instead of yellow. 



It may be remarked, as a noteworthy tart, tliat in all the si)ecimens 

 sent by Mr. Belding, the pattern of coloration is perfectly symmetrical, 

 so far as opi^osite sides of the bird are concerned; that is, when there 

 are one or more feathers of "abnormal" color in one wing or in one-half 

 of the tail, these are represented by corresponding 'ones on the opposite 

 side. How far this rule will hold good Avhen other speciuiens are ex- 

 amined I do not know, but my opinion, based ui>on my recollection of 



* The seciuiug of tlic entire famihj — thiit is, Lotli the parents aiid their young — when- 

 ever the occasion offers, is a^ much needed aid to tlie dcterujiuation of the real charac- 

 ter of these so called "hvhrid" Flickers. — R. R. 



