140 LIFE HISTOKIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the center of the plant. The eggs hij on tlie hardened floor, and not, as usual, 

 on a layer of chips. I am inclined to believe that a freshly excavated nesting 

 site is not habitable for some weeks, as it must require some time for the exuding 

 sap to harden. The mold before me somewhat resembles a wasp's nest, both in 

 color and shape, and if suspended from the limb of a tree might easily be 

 mistaken for one. From two to five eggs are laid to a set, usually four, and these 

 are indistinguishable in shape and color from those of the rest of our Flickers. 



The average measureinent of seven eggs in the United States National 

 Museum collection is 28.96 by 21.63 millimetres, or about 1.14 by 0.85 inches. 

 The largest egg measures 30.78 by 22.10 millimetres, or 1.21 by 0.87 inches; 

 the smallest, 26.92 by 20.32 millimetres, or 1.06 by 0.80 inches. 



The type specimen. No. 22635 (not figured), from a set of four eggs, was 

 taken by Mr. Herbert Brown, near Txicson, Arizona, on May 25, 1884, from a 

 hole in a giant cactus, 15 feet from the ground. 



50. Colaptes rufipileus Ridgway. 



GUADALUPE FLICKER. 



Colaptes mexicanus rufipileus Ridgway, Bulletin U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey 



of tlie Territories, II, No. 2, April J , 1S7G, 191. 

 Colaptes ruiipileus Ridgway, BuUetiii Nuttall Ornithological Club, II, July, 1877, 60. 

 (B _, C — , R 380, C — , U 415.) 



Geographical range: Guadalupe Island, Mexico. 



The Gruadalupe Flicker was discovered by Dr. Edward Palmer in 1875, 

 while engaged in making natural histor}^ collections on Guadalupe Island, off 

 the coast of LoAver California, and nearly all of the land birds obtained by 

 him at the time proved to be insular forms and new to science. Since then 

 Mr. Walter E. Bryant has twice visited this remote island, which is situated 

 about 250 miles to the south and west of San Diego, California, the northern 

 extremity lying in about latitude 29^^ 10' N. and longitude 118° 18' W. It is 

 about 15 miles in length, with a maximum width of 5 miles, and it is said to 

 reach an altitude of alwut 4,500 feet at its highest point. There are some pines, 

 cypress trees, and cabbage palms found on the island. For all the information 

 we possess about the life history of this insular Flicker, whose habitat appears 

 to be confined to this island, we are indebted to Mr. Bryant, who published an 

 interesting paper entitled "Additions to the Ornithology of Guadalupe Island" 

 (in Bulletin 6, California Academy of Sciences, January 5, 1887, pp. 269 to 318), 

 from which I extract the following relating to this little-known species: 



"Comparatively speaking, tliis bird was not rare in the restricted area of 

 the large cypress grove, but apart from this locality less than a dozen were seen. 

 Three specimens were taken among some palms, within a short distance from 

 the beach, on the eastern side of the island. Only one was heanl among the 

 pines at the northern portion, and in the vicinity of the large palm grove on 

 the northwestern slope they were occasionally seen. 



