84 



U. S. p. E. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPORT. 



yellowish or whitish, color of the hristly frontal feathers, in marked contrast with the forehead, 

 instead of a smoky hrown, will readily distinguish them, independently of the loose downy 

 texture of the helly feathers, so characteristic of young woodpeckers. 



This species was first described by Dr. Gambel as P. nuttalli, who subsequently referred it 

 erroneously to P. scalaris. It appears to be confined to the region in California west of the 

 coast range, and extending at least as far south as San Diego. In this distribution it rep_ 

 resents the P. horealis of the South Atlantic States. 



List of specimens. 



Locality. 



California 



do 



Santa Clara, ' !al. 

 do 



San Francisco 



Petaluma, Cal 



Bodega, Cal 



Treka, Cal 



Umpqua river, 0. T. 



When collected 



Nov. — , 1855 

 do 



May — , 1856 

 Jan. — , 1855 

 Aug. — ; 1855 

 do 



Whence obtained, 



Dr. Wilson ... 



do 



Dr. J. G. Cooper . 

 do 



K. D. Cutts 



E. Samuels 



Lieut. Trowbridge . 

 Lieut. Williamson . 

 , do 



Collected by — 



Dr. Gambel. 



Mr. Szabo 



Dr. Newberry. 

 do 



PICUS SCALAKIS, Wagler. 



Picus scaUris, Wagler, Isis, 1829, V, 511. (Mexico.) — Bonap. Consp. 1850, 138. , 



Picus (Dyctiopicus) scalaris, Bon. Consp. Zygod. Aten. Ital. 1854, 8. 



Picus gracilis, Less. Rev. Zool. 1839, 90. (Mexico.) 



Picus parvus, Cabot, Boston Jour. N. H. V, 1845, 90. (Siaal, Yucatan.) 



Sp. Ch. — Back banded transversely with black and white to the neck. Crown crimson spotted with white, from the bill to 

 the nape ; tuft of feathers at the base of the bill brown. A^hite stripe above the eye, continued on the aide of the neck ; 

 another under the eye, interrupted by the black of the side of the head. Under parts smoky brownish white, spotted on the 

 sides of the breast, and banded on the flank with black. Predominating color of the three outer tail feathers black, with white 

 bands chiefly on the outer webs. Length about 6^ inches ; v/ing 4j. Female without red on the head. 

 Hab. — Rocky mountains and its slopes, south of 35th parallel, to Yucatan. 



This species is among the smallest of all the North American species, and has been but 

 recently introduced into the fauna of the United States. The wings are long, reaching as far 

 as the short feathers of the tail. The third and fourth quills are longest, the second and then 

 the fifth a little shorter. The upper parts generally are'black, on the back, rump, and exposed 

 feathers of the wings, banded narrowly and transversely with white ; the primaries spotted with 

 the same on both webs. The upper tail coverts and two inner tail feathers on either side are 

 black. The white bands of the back extend all the way up to the neck, without any interscapular 

 interruption. The under parts are of a pale smoky brownish white, almost with a lilac tinge ; 

 on the sides of the Ijreast and belly are a few scattered short, but elongated spots. The posterior 

 part of the sides under the wing and the under tail coverts are obscurely banded transversely 

 with black. The top of the head, extending from the very base of the bill to a short, broad 

 nuchal crest, is crimson in the male, each feather with a white spot between the crimson and 



