PICID^ — THE WOODPECKERS. 519 



of the late Dr. BerlanJier of Matamoras, in the province of Tamaulipas, 

 Mexico. 



Dr. Cooper states that this Woodpecker is abundant in the Colorado Val- 

 ley, and that they are sometimes seen on the hushes covering the neighbor- 

 ing mountains. In habits he regards them the exact counterpart of P. nut- 

 talli, to which they are allied. 



M]-. Dresser found them resident and very common throughout all Texas 

 and Northeastern Mexico. It breeds abundantly about San Antonio, boring 

 into any tree it finds most suitable for its purposes. 



Dr. Coues regards Fort Whipple as about the northern limit of this species 

 in Arizona. It is not very common, is only a summer resident, and breeds 

 sparingly there. Farther south-, throughout the Territory, and in the Col- 

 orado Valley, he found it abundant. It does not cross the Colorado Desert 

 into California, and is there replaced by P. nuttalli. It extends south into 

 Central America. A bird shot by Dr. Coues, June 5, appeared to be incu- 

 bating ; young birds were taken just fledged July 10. The nest was in the 

 top of a live-oak tree. Malherbe, who speaks of this Woodpecker as ex- 

 clusively Mexican, states that he has been informed that it is abundant in 

 that country, where it may be seen at all times, climbing over the trunks 

 and branches of trees. It is said to be very familiar and unwary, living com- 

 monly in gardens and orchards through the greater part of the year, and 

 many of them nesting there, though in regard to their manner of nesting he 

 lias no information. 



The egg of this Woodpecker in shape is most similar to the P. villosus, 

 being of an oblong-oval. It is larger than the puhescens, and not of so clear 

 a white color. It measures exactly one inch in length by .75 of an inch in 

 breadth. 



Picus scalaris, var. lucasanus, Xantus. 



THE CAPE WOODPECKER. 



Picics lucasanus, Xantus, Pr. A. N. S. 1859, 298, 302. — Malherbe, Mon. Picidse, I, 

 166. — Cassin, Pr. A. N. S, 1863, 195. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 381. 



Sp. Char. General appearance that of Picus nuttalli and scalaris. Bill stout, as long 

 as or longer than the head. Alcove black, banded transversely with white on the back 

 and scapulars to the nape, the white narrower band, the rump and inner tail-feathers en- 

 tirely black ; quills with a row of white spots on each web ; the outer square, the inner 

 rounded, these spots on the tertials becoming transversely quadrangular. Beneath brown- 

 ish-white, with rounded black spots on the sides of the breast, passing behind on the flanks 

 and under tail-coverts into transverse bars. Greater inner wing-coverts transversely 

 barred. Outer two tail-feathers white, with one, sometimes two terminal bars, next to 

 which are one or two bars on the inner web only ; third feather black, the outer web 

 mostly white, with traces of a terminal black bar; sometimes there is a greater pre- 

 dominance of black on the inner web. Two white stripes on side of head, one starting 

 above, the other below the eye with a tendencv to meet behind and form a whitish 



