492 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PICARIJE — PICIFOBMES. 



Amilysis of Species. 



Bed moustaches in cf ; no red on nape in (f 9 i ^ings and tail oraDge-red underneath ; cap lilac-broTrn ; 



throat ashy ; no yellow on belly ; back umber-brown (Western) mexica/nus 



(Mixed in every degree with) 



Black moustaches in J ; red nuchal crescent in j ; wings and tail golden-yellow underneath ; cap ashy ; 



throat lilac-brown ; yellow on belly ; back olive-brown (Eastern) . . ' . . auratus 



(Not mixed with) * 



Bed moustaches in cf ; no red on nape in (f $ ; win^s and tail golden-yellow underneath; cap lilac-brown ; 



throat ashy; yellow on belly; back umber-brown (Southwestern)" ... chrysoides 



459 



457 



Fig. 345. — Golden-winged Woodpecker, J nat, size. (From Brehm. ) 



Obs. It will be noted, how curiously these species are distinguished mainly by a different 

 combination of common characters. — Colaptes ayresi Atjd., C. hybridus Baird, C. aurato- 

 mexicanus Scndevall, is a form from the Missouri and Roohy Mt. regions in which the charac- 

 ters of mexiecmus and aiiratus are blended in every conceivable degree in diflferent specimens. 

 Perhaps it is a hybrid, and perhaps it is a transitional form, and doubtless there arc no such 

 things as species in Nature. Eastern specimens of auratus sometimes show red touches in the 

 black maxillary patch, as is frequently the case with Kansas examples. In the West, you 



