290 MEL^'NERPES ERYTHROOEPHALTJS. 



MELANEKPES ERYTHROOEPHALUS, (Linn.) Sw. 



BecMieaded Woodpecker. 



^icus erythroceplialus, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 174 (Gates., i, 20 ; Briss., iv, 53, pi. 3, 

 fig. 1 ; Planch. Enlum. 117).— Vieill., Ois. Am. Sept. ii, 1807, 60, i)ls. 112, 113.— 

 WiLS., Am. Orn. i, 1808, 142, pi. 9, fig. I.— Bp., Svn. 1828, 45.— Wagl., Isis, 1829, 

 518.— NaTT, Man. i, 1832, p.— AuD., Orn. BioR. i, 1832, 141, pi. 27 ; Syn. 18S9, 

 184; B. Am. iv, 1842, 274, pi. 271.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 180.— Maxim., J. f. O. 

 18o8, 419.— POTN., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 214 (Massachusetts, rare).— TnippE, 

 ibid, vi, 1871, 118 (Minnesota, abundant).— Sund., Consp. Av. Pic. 1866, .50. 



MeUnerjpes erythroceplialus, Sw., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 316 (Lake Huron).- Bp., List, 1838, 40 ; 

 Consp. i, 1850, 115.— Game., Journ. Phila. Acad. 1H47, 55.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep. 

 1853, 91.— Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 113.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, lf)6.— Verr., Pr. Ess. Inst, 

 iii, 1862, 145 (Maine, rare).- Allen, ibid, iv, 1864, 53 (Massachusetts, rare). — 

 McIlwr., ibid, v, 1866, 83 (Canada West, common).— CouES, ibid, v, 1868, 2C3 

 (New England, rare).— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 469 (Texas).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 

 402.— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. 'J'er. 1870, 463 (Wyoming).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 

 3.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 180 (Kansas and Colorado).— Hold., Pr. Bost. \ 

 Soc. 1872, 207 (Wyoming).— CoUES, Key, 1872, 196.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 

 1874, 564, pi. 54, fig. 4. 



Fioui dbscurus, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 429 (juvenile). 



MaJ). — Temperate Eastern North America to the Rocky Mountains. Not authenti- 

 cated on the Pacific Coast? JJovv rare iu New England. Breeds from. Texas to Nova 

 .Scotia. Utah (Hidgway). California (Gamftei). 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition. — 4625-30, Nemaha River; 5230-31, Yellowstone River; / . 

 5529, Fort Lookout ; 8808, Fr<5mont, on Platte River. ¥ "^r' 



Later Expeditions. — 60348-54 Bitter Cottonwood and La Bont€ Creeks. / j, / Y 



Erom time to time we have had accounts of the supposed occurrence C'^iipf'' 

 >oi this species on the Pacific coast, and elsewhere west of the Rocky /. , >, / 

 Mountains. Thus, Richardson mentions a specimen said to have come - ' j 

 from theiCohnnbia JRiver.] Gambe'l givijes it from the coast of California; ?'"i>3» 3 

 'Cooper includes it in his work, but, as in many other cases, upon sup- 

 position of its occurrence in California, " as it extends to the Rocky 

 Mountains and perhapsover them." None of these records are satis- 

 factory, however,; the most western ones upon which full reliance can- 

 be placed being those from the headwaters of the Missouri and its trib- 

 utaries, and from Salt Lake City. Of these there is no question. Dr. 

 Hayden speaks of the species as one of the most abundant biids along 

 the wooded bottoms of the Missouri. Mr. Holden and Mr. Stevenson 

 fonml it in Wyoming, and Mr. Allen in Colorado, from the plains up 

 to a-bout 11,000 feet. Mr. Trippe, also, found it common in Eergen's 

 Pass. 



The Woodpeckers, as a rule, are non-migratory birds, owing to their 

 hardy nature, and the character of their food, which can be obtained at 

 all times. Most of our species are pretty thoroughly localized ; such are 

 .all thoseujf Southern portions, as the Ivory-bill and Red-cockaded in the 

 East, the Melanerpes formicivoru.'! in the West, &c., as well as the robust 

 spetjies of Picus proper, Piroides, and Sphyrapiciis. But even some of 

 these journey with the season, and others, notably the Red-bellied, the 

 Oolden- winged, and the present species, are migrants in most regions — 

 perhaps irregularly so,iudped,,but still not entirely stationary. Taking 

 an intermediate locality, as the District of Columbia, for instaTice, we 

 tind the Red-bellied and the Flicker there the whole year; but both of 

 these are partially migratory, the former being most abundant in sum- 

 mer, while the latter is so during the spring and fall, most individuals 

 going further north to breed and further south to winter. The Red-liead 

 is more decidedly migratory, and most abundant in summer. 1 never 

 found it between October and April. This corresponds with Dr. Turn- 

 bull's observations, made in Pennsylvania and Uew. Jersey, where, he 



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