138 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIKDS. 



of tli(^ National Museum. Since then, liowever, the l)ir(l lias not been secni-ed 

 fVoiu that ]-e<i'ion. lioth tonus, Colaptcs auratus and CoJaptcs cafer sdturatior, 

 undoiilitcdlv breed in that section, their habitats overlappin<i-, hut no intei'ine- 

 diate exam^iles have been secured tlnis far."' 



Its n'eneral habits, fond, call notes, and nidification, as Avell as its eggs, are 

 similar to those of the two ])receding species, and the same description will 

 answer for them. The only absolutely identified set in the United States 

 National Museum collection is an incomplete one of four, taken l)v Mi-. James 

 Hepburn, near Victoria, British Columbia, in May, 18^7. These measure, 

 resi)ectively, 30.94 ])y 21.84, 30.48 by 22.35 30.78 by 21.59, and 30.22 by 

 21.34 millimetres; or 1.22 by 0.86, 1.20 by 0.88, 1.21 by 0.85, and 1.19 by 0.8*4 

 inches. 



The type specimen. No. 13205 (not figured), is the largest egg of this set. 



49. Colaptes chrysoides (Maliierue). 



GILDED FLICKER. 



GeopicuK chrysoides Malhebbe, Eeview et Magasiu Zoologique, lY, 1852, 553. 

 Colaptes chrysoides Eeichenbacii, Handbuch der speciellen Oriiitliologie, Scansoriif, 1854, 

 413. 



(B 99, O 313, IJ 379, (J 458, U 414.) 



Geographical range: Lower Oalifornia and Sonora, Mexico; north, tbroughsontli- 

 ern and portions of northwestern Arizona, to latitude 35°. Casually to southeastern 

 California. 



The Gilded Flicker, also known as "Cactus" or "Cape" Plicker, which has 

 the yellow shafts and (piills of C. auratus and the red malar patch and ashy 

 throat, as in C. cafer, is a common resident of the giant cactus belt of southern 

 Arizona, the adjacent Mexican State of Sonora, and similar regions in Lower 

 California. It was also met with on the Colorado River, near Fort Mohave, 

 Arizona, by Dr. J. G. Cooper, in February, 1861, where these birds were feed- 

 ing on larva> and insects among the poplar trees, and were very shy and wary. 

 It undoubtedly occurs also, occasionally at least, on the California side of the 

 Colorado, but only as a straggler. It breeds throughout the rest of its range. 



Mr. F. St('j)hens, who has collected C][uite extensively in southern Arizona, 

 writes me: "So far as my experience goes, this Flicker is restricted to the giant 

 cactus region. The most western point at which I have seen this species was near 

 the lu'ad waters of Big Sandy Creek, in western Arizona, where the giant cactus 

 is conunon. I have looked closely for this bird at Yuma, but failed to find it. 

 All l)ut one of the sets of eggs I have taken were found in holes in the giant 

 cactus. The exception was a, set taken near Tucson, Arizona, on Apiil 25, 18S4, 

 from a dead cottonwood stub, and I shot the male in the mouth of the hole." 



Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "The Gilded Flicker is rather common in 

 the heavy growth of giant cactus, CercMS primjlei, but not adverse to the candle- 



' Ri-jioi't u]Miii Niitiinil History Collections iiiado in Ahiska, Xo. :f, 1SS7, \>. Ifil. 



