^ °' 1906 1 J ENKIN s, Variation in the Hairy Woodpecker. 167 



Its distribution is the United States east of the Rocky Mountains 

 and north of about 35° N. Lat. 



Dryobates villosus auduboni of the southern United States is a 

 small dark bird. The wing spotting is very little different from 

 that of the other two forms just mentioned. The spots on the 

 primaries and secondaries average very slightly less in number. 

 Of course they are smaller in size than in leucomelas, but com- 

 pared with the size of the feather they are relatively the same. 

 The greater coverts have lost spots 1 and 2 but 3 and 4 are 

 always present. The median coverts have a single spot which is 

 variable in size and shape. 



Compared with leucomelas, audubon i is extremely different. Com- 

 pared with villosus the difference is not so great. Between the ex- 

 tremes of these subspecies there are intermediates in size. So that 

 if we proceed from north to south we find a gradual and certain 

 decrease in size. One writer 1 records 'a distinct line between 

 auduboni and villosus in the southern Alleganies. He says that 

 he found villosus occupying the Balsam regions above 4000 feet, 

 and auduboni in the lowlands up to 4000 feet, and that all birds are 

 easily distinguished. Very likely intergradation does not take place 

 at that point. However, it certainly does at other localities. 



Proceeding from east to west we find the birds gradually losing 

 the white wing spots, and when we reach the Pacific Coast the 

 closed wing shows but little white. 



In the southwestern United States we have Dryobates villosus 

 liyloscopus. It is more nearly the size of D. v. villosus. The under 

 parts of some examples of liyloscopus, on close examination, show 

 a slight tinge of brownish red, but the distinguishing character is 

 found in the spotting of the wing. The outer web of the primary 

 has but three spots. These correspond with the three proximal 

 spots of the eastern form, but are much reduced in size. The 

 inner web has retained the four proximal spots, which are also 

 reduced in size. The secondary has lost all but the most proximal 

 spot from the outer web. The inner web has the same number of 

 spots as that of the eastern bird, but the spots are smaller and the 

 two proximal ones are not confluent. The greater coverts have 

 only spot No. 4 left. The median coverts are either entirely 

 black or have a white streak down the center. This form is 



1 Brewster, Auk, II J, p. 104. 



