526 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



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

 Woodpeckers. 



Subgenus XENOPICXTS, Baird. 



Xcnnpieus, BAliin, Birds N. Am. 1858, 83. (Tyiic, Ltueoiierpcs albolarvalwi, Cas.s.) 

 XeiUH-mmjuK, ('All. k Ili'.is. Mils. Hfiii. IV, 2, 1803, 74. (Same type.) 



TIlis section of rims is not appreciulily different in form from Pkus 

 villosus, which niiiy be taken as the American type of the genus Picus. Tlie 

 plumage appears softer, however, and the uniformly black body with white 

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

 any allied group. 



Ficus albolarvatus, Baird. 



WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER. 



Lenconcrpes albolarvatus, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, Oct. 1850, 106 (California). Bonap. 

 Consi). Zyg. At. Ital. 1854, 10. Milaiicrpcs alhultirviitus, Cassi.v, Jour. A. N. Sc. 

 2il series, II, Jan. 1853, 257, 1>1. xxii. — Newiif.uuy, Zoiil. Cal. and Orog. Ifoutc, 

 0, Kej). r. It. U. VI, 1857. Picuit {Xcnnpieus) allmhti-ralus, BAIItl), Bird.s N. Am. 

 1858, 90. — CAS.S1N, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1803, 202. — Loud, Pr. It. Art. Ins. IV, 

 1864, 112 (Ft. Colvillo ; nesting). — Cooi-Kii & SrcKi.KY, 100. — Ki.i.ior, Birds 

 N. Am. IX, plate. Picus aUmhtrvalus, Suxdkvai,!,, Consp. Pic. 29. — CooiT.n, Orn. 

 Cal. I, 1870, 382. Xiiwcraugus nihilarratus, Cab. k Heix. Mus. Hein. IV, 2, 1803, 

 74. Xowpicua albolarvatus, Elliot, lllust. Bird.s Am. I, pi. xxix. 



Sp. Chak. Fourth and fiflli quill.'^ equal and longest ; tip of fir.<!t equidistant between 

 _ sixth and seventh. Entirely liluish-black, 



oxeepting 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 

 W^oodpecker, formerly considered very 

 Picus aihnian-nu,>. ^pg^ jg jjg^y kuowH to bc abuudaut 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 tlie 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 

 distri1)ution will be found to be between those two points. He also found 

 it as I'ar north as Fort Colville, in the northern part of Washington Territory, 

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



