-,S0 N'oRTlt AMKUICAN milDS. 



liciul. Till" biuk is Hti'(Mi^,'ly ;,'l(i.s,s('(l willi riHldisli-brown, and tlio blnck 

 tnuisvorst) burs iiro iiiiu'h imiro tlistiuct, cldser luul broiulur, thrue or lour on 

 t'licli rciillior, inst(!iul of two only. The ruin]> imd np|K;r tiiil-eovi'its iiru 

 clo.sc'ly hiuTL'd, till' cfntru of tlie lorini'i' only clearer white, but even here 

 each leiither has a cordate spot of white. The spots on the Hanks posteriorly 

 exhibit a tendency to become transverse bars. 



Specimens from Mount (Jrizabu, Mexico, are very similar to those from 

 Orej,'on in color, i)resentini,f no aj)precialtle dill'erence. The size is, however, 

 nnich less, a male measi ving lU.oO, winy G.UO, tail 4.00 inches, instead of 

 12.75, G.7r>, and ^>:2'> re.s])ectively. "While, however, the feet are smaller 

 (tarsus I. DO instead of l.l.")), the bill is fully as larj,'e, or even larger. 



Most young birds of this si)ecies have a tinge of red on top of the head, 

 and frequently a decided nuchal crescent of red ; but these are oidy embry- 

 onic features, and disapjiear with maturity. 



II.viMi's. This species, the counterpart in so many respects of the (_ioldon- 

 winged Woodpecker, appears to take the place of that species from the slopes 

 of the llocky Mountains to the Pacilic, throughout western North America. 

 Dr. Woodliouso s])eaks of finding it abundant along the banks of the Ivio 

 rirande. And in the line collection belonging to the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion are specimens from the Straits of Fuca, Fort Steilacoom, and Fort Van- 

 couver, in Washington Territory, from the Columbia Itiver, from various 

 points in ("ulifornia. New Mexico, Arizona, lUah, Kansas, Nebraska, Te.\a.s, 

 Mexico, etc. Dr. (iaml)el, in his l*a])cr on the bin's of California, lirst met 

 with the Iicd-shafted Woodpcciker soon after leaving New ^lexico, and it 

 continued to California, where he found it very abundant. Ho describes it 

 as a remarkalily shy bird, and adds that ho always saw it on the margins of 

 small creeks, where nothing grew larger than a willow-bush. Dr. Heermann 

 also found it abundant in California. Dr. Newberry, in his lieport on the 

 zoiilogy of Lieutenant Williamson's expedition, p])eaks of the I!ed-shafted 

 Fli':ker as rather a common bird in all parts of California and Oregon which 

 his i)arty visitetl. Ibj describes many of its habits as identical with those of 

 the Golden Flicker {C. aumtus), but regards it as much the shyer bird. Dr. 

 Coojier also mentions the fact of the great aliundance of this bird along the 

 western coast, eiiualling that of its closely allied cousin on the eastern side 

 of the Mississii)])i. It also resembles, he adds, that bird so exactly in 

 haliits and notes that the description of one will a])])ly with exactness to the 

 other. It is a constant resident in Washington Territory, or at least west 

 of the Cascade Mountains. lie; observed it already burrowing out holes 

 for its nests in April, at the Straits of Fuca. About June 1 he found a 

 nest containing seven young, nearly fledged, which already showed in the 

 male the distinguishing red mustache. Dr. Suckley, in the same report, 

 also says that it is extremely connuon in the timbered districts of Washing- 

 ton Territ(jry, and adds that its ha1)its, voice, calls, etc., are precisely similar 

 to those of the Yellow-IIammcr of the Eastern States. Mr. Nuttall, as 



