PICID.E — THE WOODPECKERS — COLAPTES. 



409 



plisli-brown. Spots on the belly, a crescent on the breast, and interrupted transverse 

 bands on the back, black. 



Female whhont the red check patch. Length, r2..")0 to 14.00; extent, 21.00; wing, 

 6 00 to 7.00. 



Hull. ^Vestcrn North America from the Black Hills to the Pacific. 



This beautiful and cuinmon species is found in every part of the State, 

 except tlie barest plains, frequenting even the low huslies, wliere no trees are 

 to be seen for miles. They are much more abundant, liowever, in the mid- 

 dle wooded districts, and towards the north. 



The burrows of this species are made at all heights above the ground, 

 and about a foot in depth ; the eggs are five or six, and white. Towards 

 the south they are laid early in April, and in May at Puget Sound. 



Along the Colorado I found tliis species very shy, probably on account of 

 their being much hunted liy the Indians for their bright feathers. In most 

 other places they are, however, rather tame, and tlieir interesting habits may 

 be watched without difficulty. In these they are the exact counterpart of 

 the Eastern golden-wing, whose history is so completely given by American 

 ornithologists. They do not depend much on hard work for their subsist- 

 ence, but live in great part on ants, for which they visit the large ant-hills 

 so common in many localities, and, lilfe tlie four-footeil ant-eater, catch tliem 

 by means of their glutinous tongue. They also feed miicli on berries during 

 the season ; and if they do destroy decayed wood in searcli of insects, it is 

 usually the softest branches, their curved bill not Ijeing very well suited for 

 cutting into harder materials. Of the Eastern species, however, Nuttall re- 

 marks that they have been known to make a winding burrow for their nest 

 througli solid oak, for fifteen inches in deptli, recpiiring several weeks for its 



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