PICID.E — THE WOODPECKEIW. 517 



marked, soniotiinus witli only (tne spot on outer web ; tlio third luvs the 

 black scalloi)s restricteil. Tiiis may be called var. (/ni/jsoni, as most speci- 

 mens in tlie Smitlisonian collection were furnished by Colonel Grayson. 

 The size is equal to the largest tyjiical «■«/«?•«. 



We next come to the ("a])e ^t. Lucas bird, described by Mr. Xantus as /'. 

 liicasanus. Here tiie l)ill and I'eet become disproportionally larger and more 

 robust than in any described ; the black bands of the Inick larger than the 

 white, perhaps fewer in number. The continuous red of tiie head also ap- 

 jK'ars restricted to a stripe above ami behind the eye and on the occiput, al- 

 thougli there are some scattered feathers as far forward as aliove tiie eyes. 

 The specimens are, however, not in very good idumage, find this marking 

 cannot be very well defined ; tiie red may really be as continuous forward as 

 in the last variety. The nasal tufts are brown, as in the typical scalaris. 

 The outer three tail-feathers in most siiccimens show still more white, with 

 one or two indistinct terminal bands only on the outer two ; one or two 

 additional spots, especially on inner wel), and the sub-basal patch of inner 

 web greatly reduced. Specimens vary iiere in this resjiect, as in other races 

 of srahiri.i, but I'lc average is as described. 



Notwithstanding the decided difference lietween typical smldrin and li(ra- 

 sa)iu)i,t\\i\ discovery of the yar'ioiy f/rdi/aoni makes it possible to consider both 

 as extremes of one siiecies. To nvllaUi, however, it is but one step farther ; 

 a restriction of the red to the posterior half of the top of head, the white 

 instead of brown nasal feathers, and the whiter under jwrts being the only 

 positive characters. The markings of the tail are almost itlentical witii those 

 of lueasanus. Tiie anterior portion of the back is, however, not banded, as 

 in the several varieties described. For this reason it may therefore be ques- 

 tioned whether, if lueasanus and scalaris arc one, nuttalU should not belong 

 to the same series. 



We thus find that the amount of black on the tail is greatest in South- 

 ern and Southeastern Mexican specimens, and farther north it begins to 

 diminish ; in Western Mexico it is still more reduced, while at Cape St. 

 Lucas the white is as great in amount as in the U])i)er Califoruioii P. 

 nitttalli. 



The characters given above for the different varieties or races of Picus 

 scalarLs, as far as they relate to the tail, may be expressed in the following 

 table, illustrated by the accompanying diagram, showing the markings of 

 outer tail-feather in scalaris and nnttalli 



Outer tail-fcathcr.s with so'en ili.stinct traiisvi-rao black bands. 



These Imiids coiidiuMit oil iiini'i- wel) iioar the l)aso . . var. scnlarin. 



Bands distinct on inner wol) var. lirdi. 



Bands on outer taii-fealhcr distinct on (inter webs at end only, olisolete 

 or wantin;; towards l)ii,<e (as in tnitlalli). 



Tarsus, .(i8. Bill and lejrs as in average . . . . var, fjr a;/. 10 ii i. 



Tarsus, .78. Bill and legs very stout .... var. lucasa n a s . 



