COLAPTKS MEXICANUS. 555 



willows along the stream lluwiiig from Parley's i'aik. Eastward of the 

 Rocky Mountains, as far west as Laramie, it was abundant about the tele- 

 graph-poles along the raih-oad. 



COLAPTES MEXICANUS. 

 R<;4l-sli:irt«>d Flicker. 



{Tetsum' of the Washoes; Ah'soo-pannah of the Paiutes; Gooe-nee' -utz of the 



Shoshones.) 



Colapfes mcxicanus, SWAINSON, Syiuip. Mex. Hinl.s, Pliilos. .Mas-, I, W-i"!, UO. 

 Baikd, Birds N. Am., 1858, 120; Cat. N. Am. IJinls, 18.10, No. 98.— GooPEU, 

 Orn. Cal., I, 1870, 408.— CouES, Key, 1872, 198; Obi'ck List, 187;i, No. .JU; 

 Birds N.W., 187J, 294.— B. B. & K., Hi.st. N. Am. IJinl.s, II, 1874, 578, pi. 

 LV, tigs. 3, 4. — Henshaw, 1875, 400. 



Being the most abundant and generally distributed of the Wood- 

 peckers, this species was found in all wooded localities; and though it 

 appeared to be rather partial to the deciduous trees of the lower valleys, 

 it was far from rare among the pines of the mountains, excepting in the 

 denser portions of the forest. As to its general appearance, habits, and 

 notes, it is a perfect counterpart of the eastern Yellow-shafted Flicker (C. 

 auratus), its notes especially being absolutely undistinguishable; indeed so 

 great is the similarity between the two species that the western bird is 

 almost universally known as the "Yellow Hammer" by the people of that 

 country, notwithstanding there is not a yellow feather in its plumage. It 

 appeared to be far more shy than the eastern species, however, and we 

 always found it difficult to secure, except Avhen a heavy growth favored a 

 near approach. This wildness may be partly accounted for by the eager- 

 ness with wliich these handsome birds are sought by the Indians, who 

 highly prize the tail and quill-feathers as ornaments for their head-dresses. 



LM of spvcimcnH. 



10:j, $ jtv.; Truckco Resorvation (Camp 12), Nevada, July 24, 1807. 13— 20g— 

 Cj — 5^_i^_j_4i — 3^. Bill, browuish black; iris, chestnut; tarsi and toes, palo 

 livid blue. 



