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RED-SHAFTED WOODPECKER. 



Pic us Mexican us. 



PLATE CCCCXVI. Male and Female. 



This beautiful species was first described by Mr Swainson from 

 Mexican specimens. The extent of its distribution is as yet imper- 

 fectly known, especially toward the north. My friend Mr Nuttall 

 states, that " among the narrow belt of forest which borders Lorimie's 

 Fork of the Platte, we met with the Mexican Colaptes, and never 

 scarcely lost sight of it to the shores of the Pacific. Its manners in all 

 respects are so entirely similar to those of the common species, that 

 the same description applies to both. It is, however, always a much 

 shyer bird, and frequents the ground less. In the breeding season it 

 utters the same echoing note of whittoe, whittoe, whittoe ; the males at 

 the same time dodging after, and pursuing each other in jealousy and 

 anger. They also burrow into the oak or pine trees, and lay white 

 eggs, after the manner of the whole family. How far they proceed to 

 the north I am imable to say.'" Dr Towns end informs me that it is 

 known to the Chinook Indians by the name of A-Koptil-Kow, and in 

 regard to habits is similar to Picus auratus, the male equally partaking 

 of the task of incubation. 



I have represented the male and the female. 



Colaptes Mexicanus, Swains. Synops. of Mex. Birds. Phil. Mag. No. 84. 

 Colaptes Mexicanus, Red-Shafted Woodpecker, Richards, and Swains. Fauna 



Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 315. 

 Red-shafted Woodpecker, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 603. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCCXVI. Fig. 5. 



Bill slightly arched, strong, nearly as long as the head, angular, 

 compressed at the tip, which is scarcely truncate or cuneate. Upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line somewhat arched, the ridge narrow, the 

 sides sloping, the lateral angle quite close to the ridge, the edges sharp 

 and overlapping ; lower mandible with the angle long and rather nar- 

 row, the crural outline a little concave, the dorsal straight, the ridge 



