114 



U S p. K. E EXP. AND SUEVEYS— ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET. 



List of specimens. 



MELANERPES FOEMIOIVOEUS, Bo nap. 

 California Woodpecker. 



Picusformicivorus, Swainson, Birds Mex. in Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 439, (Mexico.) — Vigors, ZooI. Blossom, 1839, 23, 



(Monterey.)— NuTTALL, Man. I, 2d ed. 1840. 

 Mdanerpes formicivorus, Bp. Conspectus, 1850, 115.— Heermann, J. A. N. Sc. Phil. 2d apries, II, 1853, 270.— 



Cassin, lUust. II, 1853, 11 ; pi. ii.— Newberry, ZooI. Cal. & Oregon Eoute, 90 ; P. R. 



R. Surv. VI, 1857. 

 Pirns melanopagon, Temmince, PI. Color. IV, (1829 .') pi. 451 — Wagler, Isis, 1829, v, 51S. 

 IMelamjneusflavig'ula, Malher^e, Rev. et Mag. ZooI. 1849, 542. 



Sp. Ch. — Fourth quill longest, third a little shorter. Above and on the anterior half of the body glossy bluish or greenish 

 black ; the top of the head and a short occipital crest red. A white patch on the forehead, connected with a broad crescentio 

 coUat on the upper part of the neck by a narrow isthmus, white tinged with sulphur yellow. Belly, rump, bases of prirnaries, 

 and inner edges of the outer quills, white. Tail feathers uniform black. 



Female with the red confined to the occipital crest, the rest replaced by greenisfi black ; the three patches white, black, and 

 rod, very sharply defined. Length about 9 inches ; wing about 5. 



Hab. — Coast region of California and south ; in northern Mexico, eastward almost to the Gulf of Mexico ; also on Upper Rio 

 Grande. 



In most specimens one or two red feathers may be detected in the black of the breast just 

 behind the sulphur yellow crescent. The white of the breast is streaked with black ; the 

 posterior portion of the black of the breast and anterior belly streaked with white. The white 

 of the wing only shows externally as a patch at the base of the primaries. 



