178 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



ashy color. This is a common southern bird, peculiarly spas- 

 modic in its movements along a tree trunk. 



Length, 9i ; wing, 5J (4J-5|) ; tail, 3^; culmen, 1^. Eastern and 

 soutliern United States, north casually to Massachusetts, southern Michi- 

 gan, and eastern Kansas, Not migratory. 



13. Golden-fronted Woodpecker (410. Melanirpes aurifrons). 

 — A southern Texas species, similar to the last, but with the 

 belly yellowish instead of reddish, the male having the crown 

 but not the back neck red. In the female the red crown is 

 wanting, but both sexes have the back neck more or less yellow 

 or orange in the form of a band, and the forehead golden-yel- 

 low, giving the name to the species. The head and under part 

 are ashy-gray. 



Length, 10; wing, 5\ (5-5|); tail, 3 J ; culmen, 1\. Central Texas 

 and south to the city of Mexico. 



14. Flicker (412. Coldptes aurhtus). — A common, brown- 

 backed, white-rumped woodpecker, 

 with a scarlet band across the back 

 of the head, a golden lining to the 

 wings and tail, a black crescent on 

 the breast below the reddish throat, 

 and a light-colored belly, thickly spot- 

 ted with round black dots. When at 

 rest, this bird can easily be recog- 

 nized by the red crescent on the back 

 of the head and the black crescent on 

 the breast ; when flying, by the white 

 rump and the golden lining to the 

 wings. It often perches on limbs. 

 Its peculiar habits, notes, and colors 

 have given it nearly two-score names, 

 the commonest of which are here 

 given. (Golden-winged Woodpecker ; 



Yellow4iammer ; Pigeon Woodpecker ; High-hole ; Tucker ; 

 Clape.) 



Flicker 



