PICIDyE — THE WOODPECKERS. r)23 



Dr. Cooper states tliat this Woodpecker is (juito abundant towards tlie 

 coast of California, and anionj,' the footiiills west of the Sierra Nevada. It 

 frei^uents the oaks and the smaller trees almost exclusively, avoiding the 

 coniferous forests. It is very industrious, and not easily frightoncil, wlien 

 engaged in liannnering on the bark of trees aUowing a very near appnjach. 

 At other times, when pursued, it becomes more wary and susi)icious. Ajtril 

 20, 18G2, Dr. Cooijer discovered a nest of this bird near San Diego. It was 

 in a rotten stumj), and was only about four feet from the ground. He cap- 

 tured the female on her nest, which contained five eggs of a i)ure pearly 

 whiteness. 



Tiiese birds fire .said to remain througliout tiie year in the valley.s, and to 

 migrate very little, if at all. Dr. Cooper has not observed it west of the 

 Coast Range, except near Santa Barbara, nor has he seen any around gardens 

 or orchards. None have been ob!3erved nortli or east of the State. East of 

 the mountains it is replaced by the scularis. 



Mr. Xantus mentions finding a nest containing two eggs in a hole in the 

 CireuH ffii/nnteits, about fifteen feet from the ground. The excavation made 

 by the bird was about a foot and a half deep and six inches wide. 



This Woodpecker Mr. UidgWcay saw only in the Sacramento Valley, wliero, 

 in June, it appeared to be a common species among the oaks of tlie plains. 

 He did not learn anything of ics habits, but describes its notes as very 

 peculiar, tlie usual one being a prolonged (querulous rattling call, unlike 

 tliat of any other bird known to him. 



Subgenus FHRENOPICUS, Bonap. 



Phrcnopictis, Bonap. Consp. Vol. Zygod. Atotico Ital. 1854. (T\-jio, Pints borcalis, Vieill.) 

 Phrcnopipo, Cad. & Hkin. Mus. Ilein. 18G3, 70. Same type. 



, k ♦ 



This subgenus is closely related in external form to the preceding, differ- 

 ing in ratiier longer and more pointed wings and tail, the latter especially, 

 and a very small, sliort bill. The first quill (excluding the spurious one) is 

 considerably longer than tlie sixth, not shorter. The tail-feathers are nnich 

 attenuatc^d at end. Tiie most marked diflerences in coloration of the type 

 species, /'. borcalis, consists in the absence of the ])ost-ocular black patch, 

 leaving tlie whole auricular region white, and in the restriction of tlie red 

 to a very narrow line on each side, usually concealed. 



Some autliors place Piais siricklaiuU of Mexico (Phrenojjipo or A'ulocopus 

 stricldandi, Cab. and Hein.) in this section, to which it may indeed belong as 

 far as the wing is concerned, but the markings are entirely different. 



