734 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: ZOOLOGY. 



CoLAPTES CAMPESTROiDES (Malherb.). 



Geopicos [Colaptes) campestroides Malherb. Rev. et. Mag. de Zool., 1849, 

 p. 541 (South America). 



Description. — Adult male, 8988 P. U. O. C. Prov. San Luis, Argen- 

 tina, August, 1898. Museo La Plata. Total length, 13.75 inches; wing, 

 6.90; culmen, 1.6; tail, 5.4; tarsus, 1.3. Crown black, rest of upper 

 parts dark brown barred narrowly with buffy white ; rump white, wing 

 quills bright yellow ; tail black, outermost feathers with narrow white bars 

 on outer web ; sides of face and throat white, malar stripe red speckled 

 with black and white, ear coverts extending down the sides of the neck 

 and expanding into a broad breast band bright cadmium yellow or orange, 

 which color suffuses the feathers on the back of the neck ; rest of lower 

 parts dull white barred with black ; under surface of wings yellowish 

 white, bill and feet dull brown color with bluish casts. 



The female lacks the red malar stripes and is duller. 



Geographical Range. — Resident and breeding from the northern part of 

 Patagonia, Rio Negro Region, north to southern Brazil and Uruguay. 



The Golden-necked Pampas Woodpecker has thus far not been discov- 

 ered in that portion of Patagonia explored by the Princeton expeditions. 

 The birds are however common residents and breed in the northern part 

 of the territory. While generally nesting in holes it seems probable from 

 the observations of Mr. Barrows that they also at times and in certain 

 regions rear their young in burrows in the earth ; he writes: "In the tree- 

 less region about the Sierra de la Ventana [in the extreme southern part 

 of the province of Buenos Aires] we saw this bird in about holes in the 

 banks of streams, where it doubtless had nests" (Auk, i. p. 26, 1884). 

 The same writer speaking of its call notes likens them to the alarm cry of 

 Totaniis melanoleucus "but so loud as to be almost painful when close at 

 hand, and easily heard a mile or more away" (op. cit. pp. 25-26). 



O. V. Aplin says of this species in Uruguay:^ "A very common 

 resident; indeed, the number of these beautiful golden-necked Wood- 

 peckers you see in this rather treeless country is remarkable. They 

 are commonly met with about the camp, though seldom far from the 

 monte, a quinta, or patch of rocks, and are often to be seen perched 

 on the fence-posts. Many frequent the monte, and doubtless find a cer- 

 tain number of willows big enough to serve as nesting-trees. The large 



'Ibis, pp. 189-190, 1894. 



