BREWSTER: BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LOWER CALIFORNIA. 105 
California, however, some of them among the foot hills not far from the coast. 
The form characteristic of California (S. ruber) is found in the northern part 
of Lower California. 
Melanerpes angustifrons (Barrp). 
NARROW-FRONTED WOODPECKER. 
Melanerpes formicivorus Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 828 part (crit.; 
Lower Calif.). 
Melanerpes formicivorus, var. angustifrons Bair, in Cooper, Orn. Cal., 1870, 405, 
406 (orig. descr.; type from Cape St. Lucas ; figures heads of male and 
female). Covers, Check List, 1878, 63, no. 310a. Bairp, Brewer, and 
Ripeway, Hist. N. Amer. Birds, II. 1874, 578, pl. 53, figs. 3, 4 (descr. ; crit. ; 
Cape St. Lucas). Jasper, Birds N. Amer., 1878, 178, pl. 117, fig. 13 (Cape 
St. Lucas). 
[Melanerpes formicivorus] var. angustifrons Cours, Key N. Amer. Birds, 1872, 197 
(deser.; Cape St. Lucas). Dusors, Synop. Avium, fasc. I. 1899, 68 (Basse- 
Californie). 
Melanerpes angustifrons BarrD, BREWER, and Ripeway, Hist. N. Amer. Birds, II. 
1874, pl. 53, figs. 3,4. Harerrr, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XVIII. 1890, 153, 
154 (descr.; Sierra de la Laguna; Triunfo). 
Melanerpes formicivorus angustifrons Rrpaway, Nom. N. Amer. Birds (Bull. U. S. 
Nat. Mus., no. 21), 1881, 35, 65, 75, no. 877a; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VI. 
1883, 158, footnote (crit.; S. Lower Calif.). Cours, Check List, 2d ed., 1882, 
79, no. 455. Bexprne, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V. 1883, 549 (Miraflores) ; VI. 
1883, 349 (Victoria Mts.). A.O.U., Check List, 1886, 216, no.407a. Bryant, 
Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 287 (Miraflores; Victoria Mts.). 
Benprre, Life Hist. N. Amer. Birds, pt. II. 1895, 117 (Cape Region; gives 
Wm. Brewster’s description of eggs from Sierra de la Laguna). 
M [elanerpes] f.[ormicivorus] angustifrons Bryant, Zoe, II. 1891, 198 (Victoria 
Mts.). Cours, Key N. Amer. Birds, 4th ed., 1894, 490 (descr.; Lower 
Calif.) 
M [elanerpes] formicivorus angustifrons RipGway, Man. N. Amer. Birds, 2d ed., 
1896, 291 (descr. ; s. portion of Lower Calif.). 
[ Melanerpes] angustifrons SHarpx, Hand_-list, II. 1900, 209. 
The characters originally given to this species, although in my opinion suf- 
ficiently pronounced and constant to separate it specifically from its nearest 
allies, are subject to considerable variation within certain limits. Thus both 
the white frontal band and the black band which, in the female, borders it 
posteriorly, vary greatly in width. The white in a few of my specimens ex- 
tends back as far as the anterior corner of the eye and the black is nearly twice 
“as wide (longitudinally) in some birds as in others, but the combined width of 
the white and black does not appear ever to exceed the width of the red patch 
on the crown and occiput, although in at least one of my examples it fully 
equals it. None of my birds have the forehead ‘‘ gamboge,” but it is tinged 
with citron yellow in many specimens ; in the majority it is soiled white. In 
