PK'in.E — THK WOODPErKEUS. ^47 



rudo, shot on the 12tli of March, 18(11. In Si'i)t(!nibci', ISO;'., lio loiind thoni 

 rather common near the summit of tlie Siciiiu Xevada, latitude :'.!•', wiiero he 

 shot two. It has since heon met witli at Laramie I'eak, and near the mouth 

 of tlie Klamatli Kiver, 



It was ibund hy Mi'. Itidgway on tlic eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, 

 and again on tiie Wahsatcli Mountain.s ; in lioth regions inhabiting tlie pine 

 forests exclusively, and in neither place at all common. Ft occurred so sel- 

 dom that Mv. liidgway couhl learn but little concerning tlm peculiarities of 

 its habits, etc. Its connnon note is a plaintive wailing squeal, much like 

 that of S. varius (common to all the memi»ers of the genus), Init other notes 

 were heard which were quite jieculiar. 



Sphjrropicus thyroideus, Baiud. 



BROWN-HEADED WOODFECKEB. 



Picus thtjroidms, C.vssin, Tr. A. N. Sc. V, Dec. ISfil, 349 (California). — Heeuman-v, 

 J. A. X. Si;. Ph. 2d scr. II, 18.53, 270. —ScxDi-.VAM,, ('ons]). 32. Mdancrpcs llii/ru- 

 ideus, Cassin, 111. I, 1854, 201, pi, xxxii. Pilumnus thi/roiileus, Hon. C'oiisp. Zygoil. 

 Atcn. Ital. 1854, 8. Sphiiropku^ thiimiilciis, Uaiuh, Binl.s N. Am. 1858, lOii. — 

 EllH)T, 111. niids N. Am. II, pi. — CouEs, 1'. A. X. S. 18iJ(J, 54. — Cass. I". A. N. S. 

 1803, 204. — OiiAV, Cat. 52. — Kllkh', IS. Am. 1, pi. xxxv. — <'oiiri;i!, (tin. Cal. I, 

 1870, 394. ? ? Picus nntii/ic; Mai.iieui!!;, Call, .lourn. 1'. Ornitli. 1854, 171. 



Sr. CiiAU. About till' sizi! (if 7'. (•(/(•/'(.<. llrud il.irk asliy-lirow ii : uniLTal color nsiiy- 

 brown ; head and ni'(dv s(.'ari;(dy marked : middle Vnw of lielly sidpluir-yellow ; riini[) ami 

 upper coverts pure white; rest of body apparentlv encircled by narrow transverse and 

 continuous bands (crossing the win','.'! and tail) ol'blark, the outer s|)aees beconiinu' whiter 

 behind; a larf;i; round black pati'h on llie lii'east. Xo iivl on lop of the lieail. Male with 

 reddish chin. Lenjjtli, about 'J.(»); winjj;, 5.110 : tail, 4.10. 



Had. Cascade and Coast Ranges of California and Oregon; Sierra X'^evada. Wahsatch, 

 and Uoeky Mountains, rocalities: West Arizona ((.'ocks, 1'. A. ^^ S. 18()(!. 54). 



In addition to the characters alntady assigned, the crown of the head is 

 indistinctly streaked or spotted witii black. Tiie under coverts are barred 

 with black. The tail-feathers are black, tin! inner and outer barred trans- 

 versely witli white cm Ijoth webs ; the shafts, however, entirely black. The 

 ([uills are all s]iott{!d with white on both wel»s. 



The jugular black patch shows more or less indication of the transverse 

 band.s, and is .sometimes wanting, leaving the bands distinct. In one speci- 

 men (38,28;") 9, [.araniie Peak) it is remarka1)ly large and almost unbroken, 

 while the black nalar stri])e is decidedly indicated ; on the back the black 

 bars much exceed in width the light f)nes, which are nearly wliite. The 

 generic rictal white stripe is usually inapjireciable, as also the black maxil- 

 lary one, although both can be detected in some sjieciinens. 



A young bird is not appreciably dill'erent from the adult. 



Habit.s. Dr. Coojier regards this bird as <juite a rare siiecies. He has 

 never met with it, and d^nibts if it is ever found so far south as San Fran- 



