PICID^ — THE WOODPECKERS. 573 



Melanerpes formicivorus, var. angustifrons, Baird. 



THE NARROW-FRONTED WOODPECKER. 



Melanerpes formicivorus, var. angustifrons, Baird, Coopei:, Oni. Cal. I, 1870, 405. 



Sp. Char. Compared with M, formicivorus, the size is smaller. The light frontal bar is 

 much narrower ; in the female scarcely more than half the black one behind it, and not 

 reaching anything like as far back, as the anterior border of the eye, instead of exceeding 

 this limit. The light frontal and the black bars together are only about two thirds the 

 length of the occipital red, instead of exceeding it in length ; the red patch reaches for- 

 ward nearly or quite to the posterior border of the eye, instead of falling a considerable 

 distance behind it, and being much broader posteriorly. The frontal band too is gamboge- 

 yellow, much like the throat, and not white ; the connection with the yellow throat-patch 

 much broader. The white upper tail-coverts show a tendency to a black edge. Length, 

 8.00 ; wing, 5.20 ; tail, 3.20. 



Hab. Cape St. Lucas. 



As the difierences mentioned are constant, we consider the Cape St. Lucas 

 bird as forming at least a permanent variety, and indicate it as above. A 

 single specimen from the Sierra Madre, of Colima, is very similar. 



Habits. We have no information as to the habits of this singular race 

 of the M. formicivorus, found at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. John Xantus. It 

 will be an interesting matter for investigation to ascertain to what extent 

 the totally different character of the region in which this bird is met witli 

 from tliose in which the M. formicivorus is found, may have modified its 

 habits and its manner of life. 



Section COLAPTE/E. 



This section, formerly embracing but one genus additional to Colaptes, has 

 recently had three more added to it by Bonaparte. The only United States 

 representative, however, is Colaptes. 



Genus COLAPTES, Swainson. 



Colaptes, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, Dec. 1827, 353. (Type, Cuculus auratus, Linn.) 

 Geopicos, Malherbe, Mem. Acad. Metz, 1849, 358. {G. campestris.) 



Gen. Char. Bill slender, depressed at the base, then compressed. Culmcn much 

 curved, gonys straight ; both with acute ridges, and coming to quite a sharp point with 

 the commissure at the end ; the bill, consequently, not truncate at the end. No ridges 

 on the bill. Nostrils basal, median, oval, and exposed. Gonys very short; about half 

 the culnien. Feet large ; the anterior outer toe considerably longer than the posterior. 

 Tail long, exceeding the secondaries ; the feathers suddenly acuminate, with elongated 

 points. 



