384 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Subgenus Centurus Swainson. 



Centnrtis SwAlfls. Classit. B. ii, 1S37, 310. Type, Ficus carolinnsTjiiifi. 



Gen. Chak. Bill about as long as the head, or a little longer, the length from the tip 

 to the nostril about equal to the tarsus, or a little greater; decidedly eomprossed anteri- 

 orly, but depressed at the extreme base; the lateral groove distinct for half the length ot 

 the bill; eulmen decidedly but gently curved from the base; gonys nearly straight, and 

 about half as long as the eulmen. Nostrils broad, elliptical, situated about midway be- 

 tween the eulmen and tomium, and only partly concealed by the frontal tufts. Anterior 

 outer toe a little longer than the posterior, the inner anterior toe decidedly shorter, and 

 the inner hind toe only about half its length. Wings long and broad, third to fifth pri- 

 maries longest, the first equal to the sixth to the ninth. Tail about two thirds as long as 

 the wing, graduated, the feathers (except the outer) rather abruptly attenuated at ends. 

 Colors, banded with black and white, or yellow, above, with more or less of the pileuni 

 scarlet in the male; below plain, the abdomen tinged with red, orange, or yellow in most 

 species. 



While only one species of Centurus occurs in eastern North 

 America, two others are found along our southwestern border : 

 C. aurijrons in southern Texas, and C. urojjygialis in southern New 

 Mexico and Arizona. Other species belong to Mexico, Central 

 America, Cuba, Hayti, and Jamaica. 



Melanerpes carolinus (Linn.) 



RED BELLIED WOODPECKEK. 



Popular synonyms. Carolina Woodpecker; Checkered Woodpecker; Wood Chuck; 

 Zebra Woodpecker. 



Ficus carolinus Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 113; ed. 12, i, 1766, 174.— WiLS. Am. Orn. i, 

 1808. 115, pi. 7, fig. 2.— NuTT. Man. i, 1832, 572.— AuD. Orn. Eiog. v, 1839, 169, pi. 415; 

 Syiiop. 18.39, 183; B. Am. iv,1842, 270, pi. 270. 



Centurus carolinus Bp. 1S38.—Baird,B. N. Am. 1858,109; Cat. N. Am. B, 1859.No. 91.— 

 CouES,Key,1872,196;CheckList,1874,No. 306;2ded.l882,No.450;B. N. W. 1874,289.— 

 B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ii,1874, 289.— Eidgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 372. 

 Melanerpes (Centurus) rnroliims KiDGW. Ann. Lye. N. Y. Jan. 1874, .378. 



Hab. Eastern United States, rare northward, but occurring accidentally as far as 

 Massachusetts; west, sparingly, to eastern base of Eocky Mountains, and south lo 

 Florida and eastern Texas (except Eio Grande Valley). 



Sp. Chak. Adult male. Entire pileum and nape bright scarlet, deepest on the crown, 

 the forehead lighter, or more pinkish (sometimes approaching reddish white); rest of the 

 head and neck with lower parts, pale buff- grayish, lighter on the chin and throat; middle 

 ot the abdomen pinkish red, the remainder ot the lower parts sometimes tinged with the 

 same, especially on the breast and cheeks; tibiie and crissum white, relieved by rather 

 sparse hastate marks of black. Back scapulars and upper part of rump broadly and dis- 

 tinctly barred with black and white, the two colors in about equal proportion, or the black 

 barsratherthe wider; wings black, the coverts and secondaries barred with pure white; 

 primaries tipped with white, narrowly margined with the same beyond their emarginatipns 

 and blotched with white near the base; upper tail-coverts and lower part oJ rump wliite, re- 

 lieved by rather sparse irregularly l^astate spots or bars of black, the coverts sometimes 



