PICID.E — THE WOODl'ECKEUS. 573 



Melanerpes formicivorus, vai. augustifrons, V,\niD. 



THE KABBOW-FBONTED WOODFECKBB. 



Melanerpes formicivorus, \ax. (iiiijiis/i/ni is, Haiiid, Codi'EU, Oiu. Cul. I, 1870, 40"). 



Sp. Char. Compared with M, fonniciconis, the size is smaller. The liij;ht frontal hai' is 

 much narrower; in the I'cniale seairely more than hall' the Llaek niie lichiml it, ami not 

 reaehii){5 anytiiinf,' like as tar liack as the anterior liorder of the e^ye, instead nf cxi'eeilinK 

 this limit. The lif^ht I'roiita! and the blaek bars together are only almm two thiids the 

 length ol' the occipital red, instead of cxet-ediiii,' it in lengtii ; the red patch reaches lir- 

 ward nearly or ([uite to the jiosterior liorder of the eye, instead of falling a eonsidc.ahle 

 di.stance behind it, and being much broader posteriorly. The frontal band too is gamboge- 

 yellow, much like the throat, and not white ; the connection with the yellow throat-pan:h 

 much broader. The white upper tail-coverts show a tendency to a black edge. Length, 

 8.00 ; wing, 5.20 ; tail, 3.20. 



Had. Cape St. Lucas. 



As the diflerences mentioned are constant, we consider tlie Cape St. Lucas 

 bird as forming at least a permanent variety, and indicate it as above. A 

 single sjiecinion from tlie Sierra ^ladre, (if Colima, is very similtir. 



Habits. We have no information as to the habits of tliis singular race 

 of the M./onnicirurns, found at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. John Xantus. It 

 will be an interesting matter for investigation to ascertain to what c.xttnit 

 the totally different cliiiracter of the region in which this bird is met witli 

 from those in which tlic M. fovmicicorus is found, may have modified its 

 habits and its manner of life. 



Section COLAPTE^. 



This section, formerly embracing but one genus additional to Colnptcs, has 

 recently had three more added to it by Bonaparte. The only United States 

 representative, however, is Cohqjtes. 



Genus COLAPTES, Swainson. 



Colaptes, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, Doc. 1827, 353. (Typo, Ciicuhis aural us, Lix\.) 

 Geopicos, Malheiibe, Mcni. Acad. Metz, 1840, SoS. (O. campcslris.) 



Gen. Citar. Bill .slender, depressed at the base, then compressed. Cnlnien nmch 

 curved, gonys straight ; both with acute ridges, and coming to quite a sharp point with 

 the coinmissm-e at the end ; the bill, conseiiucntly, not truncato at the end. No ridges 

 on the bill. Nostrils basal, median, oval, and exposed. Gonys very .short; about half 

 the culmcn. Feet large ; the anterior outer toe considerably longer than the posterior. 

 Tail long, exceeding the secondaries ; the feathers suddenly acuminate, with elongated 

 points. 



