300 BULLETIN 17 4, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



and the cavities are generous ; an eight-inch diameter and a two-foot depth are 

 not unusual. Occasionally they will use natural openings in the cardon or 

 holes that have been chopped open by honey gatherers. 



The flickers lay from early April until well into June. The number of eggs in 

 a clutch is normally three. With the single exception of one set of five we foimd 

 none larger, and none smaller in which incubation had commenced. 



The eggs of the Cape gilded flicker are apparently similar to 

 those of other flickers, except in size. Mr. Bancroft (1930) gives the 

 measurements of 18 eggs as averaging 26.3 by 20.9 millimeters. The 

 measurements of 8 other eggs average 28.49 by 21.15 millimeters; the 

 eggs, in this series, showing the four extremes measure 31.35 by 21.83, 

 30.15 by 22.22, 25.90 by 20.70, and 26.70 by 20.00 millimeters. 



Its habits in general are apparently similar to those the gilded 

 flicker of Arizona, on v.hich more has been published, and the reader 

 is referred to the following account of CoJaptes chnjsoides mearnsi. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Southern Arizona, southeastern California, and northwest- 

 ern Mexico; nonmigratory. 



The range of the gilded flicker extends north to extreme south- 

 eastern California (Duncan Flats) ; and southern Arizona (Ante- 

 lope Peak, Bigbug, and the Salt River Bird Reservation). East to 

 southeastern Arizona (Salt River Bird Reservation, Desert Wells, 

 Picacho, Oracle, and Tombstone) ; central Sonora (Magdalena, 

 Opodepe, Hermosillo, Cedros, and Camoa) ; and central Sinaloa 

 (Culiacan). South to Sinaloa (Culiacan) ; and southern Baja Cali- 

 fornia (Cape Sail Lucas). West to Baja California (Cape San Lucas, 

 Todos Santos, Triunfo, Santa Margarita Island, San Javier, San 

 Quintin, and the Alamo River) ; and southeastern California 

 (Duncan Flats). 



The range as outlined is for the entire species, Avhich has been sep- 

 arated into three geographic races. The typical race, known as tlie 

 Cape gilded flicker {O. c. chrysoides) ^ is found in the Cape district 

 of Baja California and north to about latitude 28° N. The San 

 Fernando flicker {C. c. hjmnnescens) occurs only within a range of 

 two degrees latitude in Baja California (lat. 28° to 30° N.). Mearns's 

 gilded flicker {C. c. mearnsi) is the race found in the southwestern 

 United States, northwestern Baja California, and the mainland of 

 Mexico. 



Egg dates. — Arizona : 24 records, April 1 to June 11 ; 12 records, 

 April 21 to May 20, indicating the height of the season. 



Baja California: 16 records, April 6 to May 20; 8 records, April 10 

 to May 17. 



