526 



NORTH AMERICAN lilRDS. 



responds also in the absence of that brilliant polish so common in most 

 Woodpeckers. 



Subgenus XENOPICUS, Baird. 



Xcnnpicus, BAiiin, Birds X. Am. 1858, 83. (Type, Ltucoiurjics alboUirvatiis, Ca.s.s.) 

 XctioauiujitSf Caii. L IIeix. Mus. Ikiu. IV', 2, 1863, 74. (Same tyj)e.) 



This section of Pirns is not appreciably different in form from Picits 

 vi/lusKs, which may lie taken as tlie American tyjie of the f,'enus rUnn. The 

 plumage appeal's softer, however, and tlu; uniforudy black body with white 

 head and white patch at base of primaries will readily distinguish it from 

 any allied group. 



Picus albolarvatus, Baird. 



WHITE-HEADED WOODFECKSB. 



Lenconcrpcs alhohtrvatus, Cassin, Pr. A. N. So. V, Oct. 1850, 106 (California). Bonap. 

 Consp. Zyg. At. Ital. 1854, 10. MiJancrpes alhiihin-atua. Cassis, Jour. A. N. Sc. 

 2d sories, II, Jan. 1853, 257, pi. xxii. — NEVnF.nUY, Zoi»l. Cal. and Orog. Koutc, 

 9, iJqi. r. \\. K. VI, 1857. Picas {Xenopicvs) alhohtrnitus, BAiitn, liirds N. Am. 

 1858, 96. — Ca.^.sin-, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1863, 202. — Ldiid, Pr. U. Art. Ins. IV, 

 1864, 112 (Ft. Colville ; nesting). — Cooi'Kii & Sicklky, 160. — Elliot, Birds 

 N. Am. IX, plate. Pkus albolarvatus, Suxdevall, Consp. Pic. 29. — Cooper, Orn. 

 Cal. I, 1870, 382. Xniocraugm alMarvatus, Cab. & Heix. Mus. Hein. IV, 2, 1863, 

 74. Xeiwpicus albolarvatus, Elliot, Illust. Birds Am. I, pi. xxix. 



Sp. Char. Fourth and fifth quills of|nal and longest ; tip of first equidistant between 

 _ _ _ sixth and seventh. Entirely Idnish-black, 



excepting the head and neck, and the outer 

 edges of the primaries (except outermost), 

 and the concealed bases of all the quills, 

 which are white. Length, about 9.00; 

 wing, 5.25. Male with a narrow crescent 

 of red on the occiput. 



Had. Cascade Mountains of Oregon and 

 southward into California. Sierra Nevada. 



Habits. This very plainly marked 

 Woodpecker, formerly considered very 

 rare, is now known to be abundant in 

 the mountains of Northern California and Nevada, as also in the mountain- 

 ranges of Washington Territory and Oregon. Dr. Cooper found it quite 

 common near the summits of the Sierra Nevada, latitude 39°, in September, 

 1863, and procured three specimens. Three years previously he had met 

 with it at Fort Dalles, Columbia River. He thinks that its chief range of 

 distri])ution will be found to \)e between those two points. He also found 

 it as far north as Fort Colville, in the northern part of Washington Territory, 

 latitude 49°. He characterizes it as a rather silent bird. 



Pietis alholari'n'iis. 



