382 



CLIMBING BIRDS — SCANSORES. 



Mr. Xantus makes no meution of any peculiar habits of this variety, 

 which are probalily much like those of sccdaris. Of the distinctness of this 

 bird as a species from P. Nuttalli and sccdaris I had at one time no doubt, 

 but the discovery that otherwise t3'-pical scalaris from Mazatlan and 

 Western Mexico generally have the same markings on the tail, has in- 

 duced me to consider it as a kind of connecting link. I have, however, 

 thought it best to give a detailed description for comparison. Of about 

 the same size witli Kuttrdli, the liill and feet are much larger. The legs, 

 indeed, are nearly if not quite as large as those of a male P. villosus, from 

 Pennsylvania ; the bill, however, .is somewhat less. The relationship to 

 tyjiical P. scc(h(ris is seen in the dorsal bands extending to the nape ; the 

 smoky-brown feathers of the nostrils ; the whole top of head red (scattering 

 anteriorly) ; the brownish shade beneath ; the width of the white cheek 

 bands. On the other hand, it has the black bands of the back rather wider 

 than the white, as in Nuttcdli ; and the white outer tail feathers even less 

 banded with black. The two outer are entirely white, with one terminal 

 black bar ; one or two spots on the outer web ; and two or three bands on 

 the inner, with a sub-basal patch on the inner web even smaller than in 

 Ntdtcdli. It is rarely that even two continuous transverse bands can be 

 seen to cross both webs of the tail. The bill and feet are much larger. 



The following measurements, taken from the largest specimens before me 

 of Bi/ctiopicus, and one of P. villosus, will illustrate what has been said of 

 the size of the bill and feet of P. lucnsanus. (Baird.) 



Picus albolarvatus, Cassin. 



THE WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. 



Leuconerpcs aWolarmfiis, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. V. Oct. 1850, 106. (California.) — ^flIanerpcs 

 albolarmliis, Cassin, .Jour. A. N. Sc. 2d Series, 11. Jan. IS.'iS, 2.i7 ; pi. 22. — Newuerry, 

 Zool. Cal. & Or. Route; P. R. Rep. VI. 18.57. — Heer5iaxn, X. vi. 59. — Picus 

 {Xaiopiciis) alliolarvatus, Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 9G. — Cooper and Sucklev, 

 XII. iii. Zool. of AV. T. 160. 



Sp. Ch.\r. Fourth and fifth quills e(pial and longest. Entirely bluish-black, excepting 

 the head and outer edges, with the entire basal portion, of the primaries, which are white. 



