430 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



*124. Melanerpss torquatus, (Wils.). — Le.wis^s JVoodpcclcer. 



This is a common resident of Stockton and Marysville, and appears to 

 be more unmerons in the valleys than in the foot-hills or the Upper 

 Sierras, where, however, it occasionally occnrs. 



Those I have seen in the pine forests were apparently traveling in 

 straggling scattered flocks. I have not found it at Big Trees in breeding- 

 season. 



*Mary8ville 

 ......do .-.- 



*Stdcktoii.. 

 do .... 



Feb. — , 1878 

 Feb. — 1878 

 Mar. 27, 1878 

 Apr. 9, 18t8 



*125. Melanerpes formicivorus, (Swains.). — Calif ornian Woodpecker. 



This is an abundant constant resident of the valleys and foot-hills. 

 I shot one at Big Trees in August, but considered it a straggler. 



*Mary8vi]lo 



do .... 



do .... 



do .... 



*Murphy'8. 

 Marysville. 



*Feb. — , 187S 

 Feb. — . 1878 

 Feb. — , 1878 

 Feb. — , 1878 

 Spring, 1877 

 Winter, 1878 



*126. Colaptes auratus, 8. mexicanus, Swaius. — llcd-sJuifted Flicker. 



This is a common constant resident at Stockton, Murphy's, and Marys- 

 ville, and is a common summer resident of the pine forests. 



*Marysville . 



(lo 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Stockton 



Marysville . 



Dec. 29, 1877 



Dec. 29, 1877 

 Winter, '77-78 



Feb. —,1878 



Feb. — , 1878 



Feb. — , 1878 



Oct., 3, 1878 



June — , 1878 



*126 a. Colaptes auratus, y. hybridus, Bair(\.—"IJyhrid" Flicker. 



The plumage of probably half the numerous Flickers which I shot in 

 January and February, 1878, at Marysville was variously intermediate 

 between that typical of the supposed species G. mexicanus and C. au- 

 ratus. Those with uniformly golden shafts were unquestionably the 

 rarest of all. Quite a large number of those I had the good fortune to 

 shoot in January had well -developed red nuchal crescents, and the iris 

 was usually dark blood-red.t No trace of black in the cheek-patches 

 was observed in any of them. At Stockton, in March, 1878, I found it 

 somewhat difficult to find a specimen in which the shafts were all yellow, 

 or in which this color even predomintited, though the number of speci- 

 mens taken here at different times satisfied me that "hybrids" were not 



* "Iris milky white, tiuged with pale pink or carmine ; feet pale pea-green." — Note 

 to one of the above specimens. — R. R. 



t This is frequently the color of the iris in veiy adult specimens of both mexicanus 

 and auratus, and is, perhaps, a mark of high maturity, possibly a mere indiA'idnal 

 peculiarity. — R. R. 



