PICW.E — PIClXyE: WOODPECKERS. 601 



patches in ^, the position of wliich may he indicated in the 9 by brown patches. A black 

 pectoral seniilune, as in others of this genus. Under parts very pale lilac- brown, fading to 

 whitish on tlie belly, marked with numerous round black spots. Bill blackish- slate ; feet dark 

 ]ihimbeous. Iris brown. Size oi aitnttits, or ratlier larger; length sometimes up to 14.00 ; 

 wing up to 7.00; tail to 5.00; bill about 1..30. Western X. Am., mostly replacing C. auratus 

 from the Rocky Mts. to the Pacific, but mixed therewith over the extensive region in wliich 

 C. aijresi prevails; replaced by C. satiiratior on the N. W. coast; S. in Lower California to the 

 San Pedro Mts., whence yielding to C. chrysoides ; S. in Mexico to Tehuautepec lu habits 

 a perfect counterpart of the common Flicker, with all of its vagaries, and even more irregular 

 in residence or migration, as the character of the country inhabited is much more diverse. 

 Ranges in mountains up to 10,000 feet, and thence down to sea level, in all kinds of woods, 

 also sometimes far from any trees. It nests not only in holes in trees, as usual, but also in 

 odd nooks about buildings, and has been known to burrow under ground. Eggs April-June, 

 'i-H) or more, usually 6 or 8, indistinguishable from those of C. auratus, averaging a trifle 

 larger, about 1.12 X 0.85, running up to 1.25 and down to 1.00 in length. C mexicanus 

 Key, 1884-90; C. cafer A. 0. U. Lists. With every disposition to follow the dogma and ritual 

 of the A. 0. U., I cannot bring myself to call this bird C. cafer, for no better reason than be- 

 cause Picits cafer Gm. 1788 was mistaken for a bird of the Cape of Good Hope ! Say what 

 we please in our canons, there is something in a name after all, and "the letter of the law 

 killeth" when wrenched from its spirit, in defiance of science and common sense. Individually 

 I cannot incur the penalty of deliberately using for a North American bird a name only appli- 

 cable to one from South Africa. The fact that " Cafer" is a sort of Latin for Caffraria or Caf- 

 frariau makes its use in this connection as bad as "Hottentot Woodpecker" or " Zulu Flicker" 

 would bo; and how would such a combination sound in plain English? 



C. 111. satura'tior. (Lat. comparative degree of satiiratus, saturated, sc. witli ccjlor; dark in 

 color.) Northwestern Red-siiafted Woodpecker. Northwestern Flicker. The 

 dark \)ha.sc of mexicanus. Back deeper brown, approaching burnt umber; belly of a deeper 

 color; throat dark ashy or plumbeous; cap dark. No difference in size as a whole, or in any 

 ]iart. I'acific coast region from N. California to Sitka, Alaska. C. m. saturatwr Ridgw. Pr. 

 Jiiol. Soc. Washu. Apr. 1884, p. 90; C. cafer saturatior, A. 0. U. Lists, 1st ed. 188G, 2d ed. 

 1895, No. 413 rt,- RiuGW. Man. 1887, p. 2!)G. Not admitted in previous eds. of the Key, nt>t 

 recognized in Brit. Mus. Cat. 1890. 



C. rufipil'eus. (Lat. rufus, rufous; pileum ox pileus, top of the head, crown, ca]).) Insilar 

 Reo-shaited Woodpecker. Guadalupe Flicker. Resembling C. mexicanus; smaller, 

 wings and tail shorter, bill longer. Terminal black of the tail longer, occujjying 2.50 instead 

 of about 2 inches. Red parts of a dull bricky tone, like red-lead. Rump of a pale pinkish, or 

 .^liglitly soiled tint instead of pure white ; crown cinnamon-brown, becoming deeper rufous ante- 

 riorly. Wing 5.90-G.25; tail 4.75-5.25; bill 1.(50-1.85, slender, with decided curvature. An 

 insular form, approaching C chrysoides m some respects, especially the color of tlie crown, but 

 distinctively red-shafted, not yellow-shafted. Guadalupe Island, Lower California, resident: 

 ni'st in March and April; eggs about G, 1.14 X 0.87, indistinguishable from those of otlier 

 species. C. mexicanus rufipileus Ridgw. Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr. ii. No. 2, 187G, p. 191 ; 

 ('dues. Key, .'id and 4th eds. 1887-90, p. 881 ; C. rufipileus Ridgw. Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, July, 

 1887, p. GO; A. 0. U. Lists, 1st ed. 188G, 2d ed. 1895, No. 415; Ridgw. Man. 1887. p. 2!H5. 

 C. chrysoi'des. (Gr. ;^puo-dr, chrusos, gold; fi8o{, eidos, like.) Gilded Woodi'Eikku. 

 Gila Flickkr. Body, wings, and tail substantially ;is m C. auratus ; head as in C- mexi- 

 canus : (J with .scarlet moustaches; no red mi nape m either sex; crown cinnamon-brown; 

 chin, throat, and fore-breast ash ; sides tinged with creamy-brown, belly with yellowisli. 

 There an", however, some specialties. Golden of wings and tail less vivid than in C. auratus, 

 that on the tail incliniiii,' to wa\y-yellow ; tail-feathers black for about half tlicir length, their 



