114 



U S p. R, R EXP. AND SURVEYS— ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



MELANERPES FORMICIVORUS, Bo nap. 



California Woodpecker. 



Picus formicivorus, Swainson, Birds Mex. in Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 439, (Mexico.) — Vigors, ZooI. Blossom, 1839, 23, 



(Monterey.)— NuTTALL, Man. I, 2d ed. 1840. 

 Melanerpei formicivorus, Ep. Conspectus, 1850, 115. — IIeermann, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. 2d series, II, 1853, 270. — 



Ca6sin, lllust. II, 1853, 11 ; pi. ii.— Newberry, Zool. Cal. & Oregon Route, 90 ; P. R. 



R. Surv. VI, 1857. 

 Picvs melanopogon, Temminck, PI. Color. IV, (1829?) pi. 451 — Wagler, Isis, 1829, v, 515. 

 ? Melampicus Jlavigula, Maliierbe, Rov. ct Mag. Zool. 1849, 542. 



Sp. Cii. — Fourth quill longest, third a little shorter. Above and on the anterior half of the body glossy bluish or greenish 

 black ; the top of the head and a short occipital crest red. A white patch on the forehfud, connected with i broad crescentic 

 collai on the upper part of the neck by a narrow isthmus, while tinged with sulphur yellow. Helly, rump, bases of primaries, 

 and inner edges of the outer quills, white. Tail feathers uniform black. 



Female with the red confined to the occipital crest, the rest replaced by greenish black ; the three patches white, black, and 

 red, very sharply defined. Length about 9 inches ; wing about 5. 



Ilttb. — Coast region of California and south ; in northern Mexico, eastward almost to the Gulf of Mexico ; also on Upper Riu 

 Grande. 



In most specimens one or two red feathers may be detected in the black of the breast just 

 behind the Bulphur yollow crescent. The wliitc of the breast in streaked witli black ; the 

 posterior portion of the black of the breast and anterior belly streaked with white. The white 

 of the wing only shows externally as a patch at the base of the primaries. 



