P1CARIAE— PICIDAE— MELANERPES TORQUATUS. 397 



MELANERPES TORQUATUS (Wils.). 

 Lewis's Woodpecker. 



Picus torquatus, Wils., Am. Oru., iii, 1811, 31, pi. xx.-Bd., Stans. Rep. Exp. Great Salt 

 Lake, 1852, 319. 



Melanerpes torquatus, EIeerm., Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ii, 1S53, 270. — Xewb., P. 

 R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 90.— Bd., Birds N. A., 185S, 115.— Heerm., P. R. R. 

 Rep., x, pt. iv, 1859, 58.— Xantus, P. R. R. Rep., 1859, 190 (Fort Tejou, 

 Cal.).— Henry, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 106 (New Mexico).— 

 Coop. & Suckl., P. R. R, Rep., xii, pt. ii, 18C0, 161.— Hayd., Trans. Am. 

 Phil. Soc, xii, 1802, 150.— Cooper, Birds Cal., i, 1870, 406.— Stev., U. S. 

 Geol. Siuv. Terr., 1870, 403.— Merriam, U. S. Geol. Sui v. Terr., 1872, 695 

 (Idaho). — Allen, Bui. Mus. Com p. Zool., 1872, 180 (western edge of plains 

 into mountains).— Aiken, Prcc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 1872, 207.— Bd., 

 Brew., & Ridg., N. A. Birds, ii, 1871, 561, pi. 54, f. 5.— Eenshaw, An. 

 Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., xi, 1874, 9.— Id., An. List Birds Utah, 1872, 

 Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 4S. — Yarrow & Henshaav, Rep.Orn. Specs., 1872, 

 Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 24.— Hensdaw, Rep. Oru. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's 

 Exped., 1874, 134. 



Asyndesmus torquatus, Ooues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866,56 (Fort Whipple 

 Ariz.).— Id., Key N. A. Birds, 1S72, 197.— Id., Birds Northwest, 1874, 291. 



Celcus torquatus, Woodh., Sitgreave's Exp. Zuiii & Col. Riv., 1854, 90. 



In Utah and Colorado, this species is of common occurrence, and 

 in certain restricted localities very abundant. It appears to be also a 

 resident of Arizona and New Mexico ; the numbers of individuals inhabiting 

 a locality varying very much, without any special reason appearing for the 

 difference. In summer, it is, I believe, a bird of the mountainous districts 

 alone, and one preferring the solitudes of the primeval forests to the more 

 open diversified regions. As far north as Utah, at least, it is resident ; though, 

 with the approach of winter, there appears to be a more or less complete 

 change of abode, the birds making their appearance in the low districts, 

 where they are never seen in summer. In October I have seen them 

 in small companies pursuing a more or less direct course southward; 

 their appearance and actions at such times indicating that they were 

 either migrating, or, perhaps, changing their locality for a spot where food 

 was more abundant. Their extreme restlessness is always a characteristic 

 feature in their habits, while they are among the shyest of their tribe. 



In going from Fort Tulerosa, N. Mex., to Fort Craig, I found a very 

 large colony of these woodpeckers in a snug, sheltered little valley, where they 



