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U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AisD SUEVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET. 



Section Centureae. 



The United States genera of this section are very similar to each other, and may be most 

 easily distinguished by color, as follows : 



Centcrus. — Back and wings banded transversely with black and white. Crown more or less 

 red ; rest of head with under parts greyish, and with red or yellow tinge on the middle of the 

 abdomen. Rump wliite. 



Melaneepes. — Upper parts uniform black, without bands, with or without a white rump ; 

 variable beneath, but without transverse bands. 



CENTURUS, Swainson, 



Centurxis, Svr. Class. Birds, II, 1837, 310, (type C. cnroKntts.) 

 Zebrapicus, Malh. Mem. Acad. Metz, 1849, 360, (type C. carolinns.) 



Bill about the length of the head, or a little longer ; decidedly compressed, except at the 

 extreme base. A lateral ridge starting a little below the culmen at the base of the bill, and 

 angular for half the length of the bill, then becoming obsolete, though traceable nearly to the 

 tip. Culmen considerably curved from the base ; gonys nearly straight. Nostrils very broad, 

 elliptical ; situated about midway on the side of the mandible, near the base ; partly concealed. 

 Outer pairs of toes unequal ; the anterior toe longest. Wings long, broad ; third to fifth 

 primaries equal and longest. Tail feathers rather narrow, stiffened. 



The species are all banded above transversely with black and white. The rump white. The 

 head and under parts are brown. The belly with a red or yellow tinge. 



The species of Centurus may be arranged as follows : 



A. Middle of belly red. 



Crown, nape, and behind the auriculars red. Forehead white, tinged with red. C. carolinns. 



B. Middle of belly yellow ; a square patch of red in the middle of the crown. 



Forehead yellow ; nuchal collar orange yellow ; a white band between the red of the 

 crown and the yellow front. Eump white. Middle tail feathers black. — C.flaviventris. 



Entire upper parts of head and nape light brownish, except on the crown ; forehead 

 rather purer. Rump banded with black. Middle tail feathers varied with white and 

 black , , C. uropygialis. 



Comparative measuremenis. 



