BIRDS — PICIDAE — COLAPTES. 
117 
Section Colapteae. 
This section, formerly embracing but one genus additional to Colaptes, has recently had 
three more added to it, by Bonaparte. The only United States representative, however, is 
Colaptes. 
COLAPTES, Swain son. 
Colaptes, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, Dec. 1827, 353. (type C. auratus.) 
Geopicos, Malherbe, Mem. Acad. Metz, 1849, 358. (G. campestris.) 
Bill slender, depressed at the base, then compressed. Culmen much curved ; gonys straight, 
both with acute ridges, and coming to quite a sharp point with the commissure at the end ; the 
bill, consequently, not truncate at the end. No ridges on the bill. Nostrils basal, median, 
oval, and exposed. Gonys very short ; about half the culmen. Feet large ; the anterior 
outer toe considerably longer than the posterior. Tail long, exceeding the secondaries, the 
feathers suddenly acuminate, with elongated points. 
The only two well defined species found within the limits of the United States are readily 
characterized. They have, as the common character of Colaptes: the back transversely banded 
with black and brownish ; the head and neck all round nearly uniform grayish or brownish, 
with a short maxillary stripe, and with or without a nuchal patch ; a black crescent on the 
breast, and the belly marked with round black spots. The most conspicuous features are as 
follows : 
1. Maxillary stripe black ; a scarlet nuchal crescent ; shafts, and the under surfaces of 
wing and tail feathers yellow C. auratus. 
2. Maxillary stripe red ; no nuchal crescent ; shafts, and the under surfaces of wing and 
tail feathers brownish orange red C. mexicanus. 
A hybrid between the two occurs on the upper Missouri. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Catnl. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex. 
Length . 
Extent. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle ^sclavy. 
Bill 
above. 
Along 
gape. 
Specimen mea- 
sured. 
1886 
6166 
do. 
8218 
do. 
9399 
1341 
do. 
5604 
do. 
4569 
5214 
do. 
Colaptes mexicanus.. 
do 
s 
Q 
12.50 
12.90 
13.75 
12.50 
13. 
6.60 
6.50 
5.22 
5.90 
1.12 
1.12 
1.20 
0.50 
0.50 
1.60 
J .68 
1.64 
Ft. Vancouver, N. T. 
* 23.25 
21. 
9 
6.26 
6.50 
6.10 
6.08 
6.06 
4.94 
1.14 
0.44 
1.46 
1.54 
Skin, (legs br'kn.) 
Colaptes mexicanoides 
5.38 
5.20 
1.10 
1.01 
1.16 
1.12 
0.46 
0.38 
1.64 
1.42 
1.64 
1.46 
3 
10.96 
12.50 
11.50 
11. 
10.30 
11.80 
13.05 
19.50 
South Platte, Mo. . . 
a 
4.66 
1.04 
1.20 
0.42 
1.48 
1.48 
16. 
Colaptes clirysoides ?. 
United States and 
Mex. boundary sur. 
Farm Island, near 
Fort Pierre. 
5.38 
6.28 
6.50 
4.14 
5.26 

1.02 
1.10 
1.16 
1.28 
0.38 
0.44 
1.42 
1.52 
1.44 
1.60 
s 
do 
19.50 
