108 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



em portion of its area of distribution, we find a tendency to an ashy or 

 brownisli tinge on the rump, extending more or less along the back ; few, if 

 any indeed, being uniformly black. 



As, however, a general expression can be given to the variations referred 

 to, and as they have an important geographical relationship, besides a gen- 

 eral diagnosis, we give their characters and distribution in detail. 



The general impression we derive from a study of the series is that the 

 amount of white on the wing and elsewhere decreases from the Missouri 

 Eiver to the Pacific, exhibiting its minimum in Oregon and Washington, pre- 

 cisely as in the small black Woodpeckers ; that in the Great Basin the size 

 of the claws and the length of tail increases considerably ; that the northern 

 forms are entirely black, and the more southern brown or olivaceous, except 

 on the head. 



The following synopsis will be found to express the principal characteris- 

 tics of the species and their varieties, premising that P. arcticus is more dis- 

 tinctly definable than any of the others. We add the character of the green- 

 bodied Mexican species to complete the series. 



Synopsis of Varieties. 

 I. P. erythrophthalmus. 



1. Wing, 3.65 ; tail, 4.20. Outer tail-feather with terminal half of inner web 

 white. Iris bright red, sometimes paler. Hab. Eastern Province United 

 States. (Florida in winter.) ..... var. erythr opthalmus. 



2. Wing, 2.90 ; tail, 3.75. Outer tail-feather with only terminal fourth of 



inner web white. Iris white. Hab. Florida (resident) . . var. alleni. 



II. P. maculatus. 



A. Interscapulars with white streaks. 

 a. Outer webs of primaries not edged with white at the base. 



1. Above olive-brown, the head and neck, only, continuous black ; back 

 streaked with black. White spots on wing-coverts not bordered externally 

 with black. Wing, 3.25 ; tail, 4.00 ; hind claw, .44. Hab. Table-lands of 

 Mexico ... . var. maculatus.^ 



2. Above black, tinged with olive on rump, and sometimes on the nape. 

 White spots as in last. Inner web of lateral tail-feathers with terminal white 

 spot more than one inch long ; outer web broadly edged with white. 

 Wing, 3.45 ; tail, 4.10 ; hind claw, .55. Female less deep black than male, 

 with a general slaty-olive cast. Hab. Middle Province of United States, 

 from Fort Tejon, California, to Upper Rio G-rande, and from Fort Crook to 



Fort Bridger var. megaton yx. 



3. Above almost Avholly black, with scarcely any olive tinge, and this only 

 on rump. White spots restricted, and with a distinct black external border. 

 White terminal spot on inner web of lateral tail-feather less than one inch 

 long ; outer web almost wholly black. Wing, 3.40 ; tail, 3.90 ; hind claw, 

 .39. Female deep umber-brown, instead of black. Hab. Pacific Province of 

 United States, south to San Francisco ; West Humboldt Mountains, var. oregonus. 



^ Pipilo maculatus, Swainson, Pliilos. Mag., 1827. 



