NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 197 



412. Southern Flicker. Colaptes auratus. 

 Range. Southeastern United States. 



Flickers are well known, large Woodpeckers (13 inches 

 long), with a brownish tone to the plumage, barred on 

 the back and spotted on the breast with black. The 

 present species has a golden yellow lining to the wings 

 and tail, and the shafts of the feathers are yellow; it has 

 a red crescent on the nape, and the male has black mous- 

 tache marks. This species and its sub-variety are the 

 most widely known Woodpeckers in eastern North Amer- 

 ica, where they are known in different localities, by 

 something like a hundred local names, of which Pigeon [White]. 



Woodpecker and Yellow-hammer seem to be the most universal. They have 

 the undulating flight common to all \Voodpeckers and show the white rump 

 patch conspicuously when flying. They are often found on the ground in past- 

 ures or on side hills, feeding upon ants; they are more terrestrial than any others 

 of the family. They nest anywhere, where they can find or make a suitable cav- 

 ity for the reception of their eggs; in trees in woods or solitary trees in large 

 pastures, in apple trees in orchards, in fence posts, in holes under the roofs of 

 buildings, etc. They ordinarily lay from five to ten very glossy white eggs, but 

 it has been found that they will continue laying, if one egg is removed from the 

 nest at a time, until in one case seventy-one eggs were secured. Fresh eggs may 

 be found at any time from May until August, as they frequently raise two broods 

 a season. Size of eggs, 1.10 x .90 with considerable variations. 



4l2a Northern Flicker. Colaptes auratus luteus. * 



Range. Whole of North America, east of the Rockies, except the southeastern 

 portion. 



Averaging larger than the preceding, but individual specimens of the northern 

 variety are frequently found to be even smaller than the southern, and vice ver- 

 sa, making the distinction one of the study rather than Nature. 



413. Red-shafted Flicker. Colaptes cafer collar is. 

 Range. United States west of the Rockies. 



This species is marked similarly to the preceding, but 

 the top of the head is brownish instead of gray, and the 

 underparts of the wings and tail, and their quills are 

 reddish. Neither sex has the red crescent on the back of 

 the head, except in the case of hybrids between the two 

 species, but the male has red moustache marks. There 

 are no differences in the nidification between this 

 species and the preceding, but the eggs of this average a 



trifle larger (1.15 x .90). 

 [White]. 

 4l3a. Northwestern Flicker. Colaptes cafer saturatior. 



Range. Pacific coast, breeding from Oregon to Alaska. 



This is a much darker variety of the Red-shafted Flicker, but its nesting habits 

 or eggs do not differ in any way. 



414. Gilded Flicker. Colaptes chrysoidc*. 



Range. Arizona and southward through Mexico to southern Lower California. 



This pale species has the yellowish lining to the wings and tail as in the Flick- 

 er, but has a pale cinnamon brown crown, no crescent on back of head, and the 

 male has red moustache marks. It is a common species in all localities where 

 the giant cactus abounds, and shows a preference to nesting in these strange 

 growths, to any other trees. Their habits are, in all respects, the same as those 

 of the other Flickers and their eggs cannot be distinguished. Size 1.10 x .90. 



