490 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PICABI^ — PICIFOBMES. 



black around base of bill and on the chin completely ; crown in tbe $ crimson from tlie white 

 front, in the 9 separated from the white by a black interval ; frequently a few red feathers in 

 the black breast-patch, which is not sharply defined behind, but changes by streaks into the 

 white of the beUy. Bill black ; eyes white, often rosy, creamy, yellowish, milky, bluish, or 



brown. Young not particularly differ- 

 ent, but have the head-markings less 

 defined, the red bronzy. In the 9 , 

 the succession of white, black, and red 

 on the crown is very sharp and square. 

 In S(jme specimens of either sex, the 

 secondaries are edged and tipped with 

 white. The gloss is sometimes rather 

 green than blue. Size of the last. Bill 

 varies in size from 0.87 to 1.1 2 ! Rocky 

 Mts. to the Pacific, U. S., abundant; 

 noted for its habit of sticking acorns in 

 little holes that it digs in the bark for 

 the purpose; whole branches are fre- 

 quently studded in this manner. Gen- 



FiG. 311. — Califoriiiitn Woodpecker, uat. bizc 

 . C.) 



(Ad nat. del. 



eral mannei's and bearing those of the common red-head. Eggs 1.10 X 0-9O. 

 455- M. f . angus'tifrons. (Lat. awjfMsJMS, nan'ow, straitened; /rows, forehead.) Nareow-fronted 

 Woodpecker. Said to have the white frontal bar narrower ; bill somewhat differently shaped ; 

 white bar narrower than the black one of the 9 , both together less than the red. L. California. 

 157. ASYNDES'MUS. (Gr. a privative, <rvv, sun, together ; Sttr/ios, desmos, a bond ; alluding to 

 the loosened texture of the feathers of certain parts.) Bristi^e-bellied Woodpeckers. Bill 

 almost colaptine in general aspect, but with short distinct lateral ridges as in Melanerpes; as 

 long as head, rather longer tlian tarsus, not broader than high iit 1)m.-;(', compressed and some- 

 what curved toward end ; pointed 

 with scarcely any lateral bevelling, 

 culmen curved and scarcely ridged ; 

 gonys straight. Wings of excessivi^ 

 length, folding nearly to end of tail, 

 and peculiar in proportion of prima- 

 ries : 4th quill longest, 3d and 5th 

 about equal and shorter than 2d. 

 Inner anterior claw reaching litth' 

 beyond base of outer anterior. Featli- 

 ers of under parts and of a nuchal col- 

 lar with the fibrillae of their coIoomI 

 portions enlai'ged in calibre, bristly, 

 of silicious hardness, loosened and 

 disconnected, being devoid of bar- 

 bicels and booklets. Dorsal plu- Fig. 341!. — Lewie' Woodpecker, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. 0.) 

 mage compact, of intense metallic lustre. Feathers of face soft and velvety. Sexes alike ; 

 young different. I do not see why my friends have snubbed this genus ; it is a good one, as 

 genera go now. 

 456. A. torqua'tus. (Lat. torqiiatus, collared. Figs. 342, 343.) Lewis' Woodpecker. Col- 

 lared Woodpecker. $ 9 > adult : Upper parts, including wings and tail, flanks and crissuin, 

 green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the hack — this iridescence like that of 

 Quiscalus /pneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes 



