138 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMEEICAN BIEDS. 



of the National Museum. Since then, howevev, the bird has not been seeiired 

 from that region. Both forms, Colaptes aurakis and Colaptcs cafer saturatior, 

 undoubtedly breed in that section, their habitats overlapping-, but no interme- 

 diate examples have been secured thus far.'"- 



Its general habits, food, call notes, and nidification, as well as its eggs, are 

 similar to those of the two preceding species, and the same description Avill 

 answer for them. The only absolutely identified set in the United States 

 National Museum collection is an incomplete one of four, taken by Mr. James 

 Hepburn, near Victoria, British Columbia, in May, 1867. These measure, 

 respectively, 30.94 by 21.84, 30.48 by 22.35 30.78 by 21.59, and 30.22 by 

 21.34 millimetres; or 1.22 by 0.86, 1.20 by 0.88, 1.21 by 0.85, and 1.19 by 0.84 

 inches. 



The tjqoe specimen. No. 13205 (not figured), is the largest egg of this set. 



49. Colaptes chrysoides (Malherbe). 



GILDED FLICKER. 



Geopicus chrysoides Malherbe, Review et Magasin Zoologique, IV, 1852, 553. 

 Colaptes chrysoides Reichenbacii, Handbuch der speciellen Ornitliologie, Scansoriiie,, 1854, 

 413. 



(B 99, O 313, R 379, C 458, U 414.) 



Geographical range: Lower California and Sonora, Mexico; north, througli south- 

 ern and portions of northwestern Arizona, to latitude 35°. Casually to southeastern 

 California. 



The Gilded Flicker, also known as "Cactus" or "Cape" Flicker, which has 

 the yellow shafts and quills of C. auratus and the red malar patch and ashy 

 throat, as in C. cafer, is a common resident of the giant cactus belt of southern 

 Arizona, the adjacent Mexican State of Sonora, and similar regions in Lower 

 California. It was also met with on the Colorado River, near Fort Mohave, 

 Arizona, by Dr. J. C Cooper, in February, 1861, where these birds were feed- 

 ing on larvpe and insects among the poplar trees, and were very shy and wary. 

 It undoubtedly occurs also, occasionally at least, on the California side of the 

 Colorado, but only as a straggler. It breeds throughout the rest of its range. 



Mr. F. Stephens, who has collected quite extensively in southern Arizona, 

 writes me: "So far as my experience goes, this Flicker is restricted to the giant 

 cactus region. The most western point at Avhich I have seen this species was near 

 the headwaters of Big Sandy Creek, in western Arizona, where the giant cactus 

 is common. I have looked closely for this bird at Yuma, but failed to find it. 

 All but one of the sets of eggs I have taken were found in holes in the giant 

 cactus. The exception was a set taken near Tucson, Arizona, on April 25, 1884, 

 from a dead cottonwood stub, and I shot the male in the mouth of the hole." 



Mr. A. W. Anthony writes me: "The Gilded Flicker is rather common in 

 the heavy growth of giant cactus, Cereus pringlei, but not adverse to the candle- 



' Report upou Natural History Collections made in Alaska, No. 3, 1887, ji. 161. 



