384 BIRDS OF ILLIhOIS. 



Subgenus Centurus Swaixsos. 



Cenlnrut Swains. Classlf . B. II, 1837, 310. Type, Picus earolinu» Liss. 



Gen. Cbab. Bill about us long as the head, or a little lonser, the length from the tip 

 to the nostril about oaual to the tarsus, or u Uttle greater; decidedly eomprcRsed anteri- 

 orly, but depressed at the extreme base: the lateral sroovo distinct for half the I'ngth of 

 the bill; eulmen decidedly but gently curved from the base; gouys nearly straight, and 

 about half as long as the culmen. Nostrils broad, elliptical, situated about midway be- 

 tween the culmen anil tomium, and only partly concealed by the frontal tufts. Anterior 

 outer toe a little longiT than the posterior, the inner uuterlor toe di'cidediy shorter, and 

 the inner hind toe only al)out half its lenglli. Wings long and bruail, third to llftli pri- 

 inarii'S longest, the llrst equal to the sixth to the ninth. Tail about two thirds us longaji 

 the wing, graduated, the feathers (except the outer) rather ubruptly attenuated at ends. 

 Colors, lianded with black and white, or yellow, above, with more or less of the pileum 

 scarlet in the mule; below plain, the abdomen tinged with red. orange, or yellow In most 

 species. 



While ouly one species of Centurus occurs in eastern North 

 America, two others are found along our southwestern border : 

 C aurifrons in southern Texas, and C. uropygialis in southern New 

 Mexico and Arizona. Other species belong to Mexico, Central 

 America, Cuba, Hayti, and Jamaica. 



Melanerpes carolinus (Linn.) 



RED BELLIED WOODPECKEK. 



Popular aynonyms. Carolina ■Woodpecker; Checkered Woodpecker; Wood Chuck; 

 Zebra Woodpecker. 



Picus carolinus LlNS. S. N. ed. 10. 1, 1758. 113; ed. 12, 1. ITCfi, 174.— WiLS. Am. Orn. 1, 

 1808, 115, pi. 7, fig. 2.-NUTT. Man. I, 1832, 572.— AUD, Orn. Biog, v. 1839. 169. pi, 41.-.; 

 Synop. ISW. 1K3; B. Am. iv,1842. 270. pi. 270. 



Centurus carolinus Bp. 1838.-Baikd.B. N. Am. 1858.109; Cat, N. Am. B. 1859.Xo, 91.— 

 CouE8.Key.l872,196;CheckLi8t.l874,No. 3oti:2ded. 1882,Xo. 450;B. X. W. 1874.289.— 

 B.B. & E. Hist. N. Am. B. 11.1874. 289.— KiDOW. Xom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. STJ. 

 Melanerpes [Centurus] carolinus RiDOW. Ann. Lye. N. Y. Jan. 1874, 378. 



Hab. Eastern United States, rure northward, but occurring accidentally us faros 

 Massachusetts; west, sparingly, to eastern base of Kocky M>^>untains, and south to 

 Florida and eastern Texas (except Rio Grande Valley). 



8p. Chau. A'lult male. Entire pileum and nape bright scarlet, ileepest on the crown, 

 the forehead lighter, or more pinkish (someliuies approaching reddish white); rest of the 

 head and neck with lower parts, pale buiT-grayish, lighter on the chin and throat; middlu 

 of the alHlomen i>inklsh red. the remainder of the lower i>arls sometimes tinged with the 

 same, especially on lhiM>reast and cheeks; tibiic and erissum white, relieveil by rather 

 sparse hastate marks of bhick. Back scapulars ami upper part of rump broadly and dis- 

 tinctly luirred with lilack ami white, the two colors in about equal propurlion, or the black 

 barsralher the wider; wings black, the coverts and secondaries barred with pure white; 

 primaries tippi'd with whiti', narrowly margined with the same beyond their cmarginal ions 

 and bloti-heil with white near the base; upper tail- coverts and lower part nf rumpwliile,re- 

 liovod by rather sparse irreguliu'ly hastate spots or bars of black, the covorts sometimes 



