ANT-EATING WOODPECKER 211 



Egg dates. — ^Alabama : 12 records, April 20 to July 15 ; 6 records, 

 May 26 to June 17, indicating the height of the season. 



Illinois: 19 records. May 9 to July 10; 10 records, May 19 to 

 June 15. 



Michigan : 16 records. May 9 to August 20 ; 8 records. May 15 to 

 June 3. 



New York: 15 records. May 21 to June 19; 8 records, May 26 to 

 June 5. 



South Carolina : 12 records. May 6 to July 2. 



BALANOSPHYRA FORMICIVORA FORMICIVORA (Swainson) 



ANT-EATING WOODPECKER 



HABITS 



The type race of the species is now restricted in its distribution 

 to the region from south-central Texas (Kerr County and the Chisos 

 Mountains) to eastern and southern Mexico. It differs from the other 

 races in the width of the white frontal band, the amount of streaking 

 on the breast and sides, and the amount of yellow in the throat 

 patch, as well as in size. It differs from hairdi and aouleata in hav- 

 ing the chest mostly streaked, at least on the median portion, instead 

 of mostly uniform black. The white frontal patch is broader than 

 in angustifrons, and the black band across the female crown is much 

 wider. It is slightly larger than aculeata, and somewhat smaller 

 than hairdi but decidedly larger than angustifrons. Its throat patch 

 is paler yellow than in hairdi and angustifrons. 



I cannot find anything of consequence in print relating to the 

 habits of the race, which probably do not differ materially from the 

 habits of the species elsewhere. There are two sets of eggs in the 

 Thayer collection, one of six and one of five eggs, taken in Tamau- 

 lipas, Mexico, on April 18 and 22, 1908; in each case the nest is said 

 to have been 20 feet from the ground in a pine. The measurements 

 of these 11 eggs average 26,47 by 19.00 millimeters ; the eggs showing 

 the four extremes measure 28.1 by 19.0, 26.7 by 19.3, 25.9 by 18.9 

 millimeters. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Western United States, Central America, and northwest- 

 ern South America ; nonmigi-atory. 



On the Pacific coast the ant-eating woodpecker ranges through 

 the Coast and Sierra Nevada ranges north to southwestern Oregon 

 (Cow Creek and Asliland). In the interior it is found north to 

 northern Arizona (Hualapai Mountain, Williams, and Grand Can- 

 yon) ; northern New Mexico (Largo Canyon and the headwaters 

 of the Gallina Eiver) ; and southwestern Texas (Fort Davis and 



