BIEDS PICIDAE COLAPTES AURATUS. 
119 
longitudinal. Western specimens are rather paler above ; occasionally purer ash on the head. 
All, too, have the proportions of the quills a little different. Thus, in one the fourth and fifth 
quills are equal ; the third shorter than the sixth ; the fifth is, however, in most a little longer. 
One specimen from Selkirk Settlement has the belly tinged with pale sulphur yellow ; the back 
with a stronger shade of olivaceous green. 
This species in general pattern of coloration resembles the C. mexicanus, although the colors 
are very different. Thus the shafts of the quills, with their under surfaces, are gamboge 
yellow, instead of orange red. There is a conspicuous nuchal crescent of crimson wanting, or 
but slightly indicated in mexicanus. The cheek patch is pure black, widening and abruptly trun- 
cate behind, instead of bright crimson, pointed or rounded behind. The shade of the upper parts 
is olivaceous green, instead of purplish brown. The top of the head and nape are more ashy. 
The chin, throat, neck, and sides of the head are pale purplish or lilac brown, instead of bluish 
ash ; the space above, below, and around the eye of the same color, instead of having reddish 
brown above and ashy below. Tfce third quill is longest, the fourth and fifth but little shorter, 
.instead of having the fifth longest ; the third shorter than the fourth also. 
The young of this species is sufficiently like the adult to be readily recognizable. Sometimes 
the entire crown is faintly tipped with red, as customary in young woodpeckers. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
6932 
9 
9 
Nelson river, H. B. T 
6933 
1341 
S 
9 
o 
April 10, 1844 
April 3,1845 
July 12, 1844 
12.50 
12.00 
11.67 
19.50 
19.75 
19.00 
6.08 
6.17 
2051 
1627 
4435 
o 
4620 
Fort Leavenworth, K. T. . 
AprU 21, 1856 
Lieut. Warren. ... 
2 
11.50 
16.50 
9.00 
6158 
5605 
o 
Lieut. F. T. Bryan. 
5606 
o 3 
3 
June 19, 1856 
33 
Eyes blue black. 
6553 
Dr. Hammond and 
J. X. de Vesey 
6554 
9 
9 
3 
do 
5609 
115 miles W. of Ft. Riley. 
July 3, 1856 
5608 
July 8, 1856 
do 
78 
5604 
77 
5607 
o 9 
3 
9 
3 
9 
o 
July 14,1856 
105 
4619 
5221 
June 19, 1856 
12.00 
12.00 
17.50 
19.00 
6.00 
6.00 
6.75 
5.25 
5.00 
5.75 
5.50 
4.50 
5.50 
5.50 
5.50 
8330 
June 3, 1857 
W. M. Magraw. 
53 
8346 
8401 
do 
June 17, 1857 
July 1, 1857 
do 
do 
73 
111 
do 
12.00 
10.25 
11.00 
18.50 
17.50 
18.00 
18.60 
18.60 
8868 
3 o 
50 miles ab. mo. of Platte. 
Dr. Hayden 
8866 
9 o 
July 1,1857 
10.75 
10.50 
10.50 
11.10 
11.25 
10.50 
8867 
3 o 
8862 
9 o 
July 
July 
July 27, 1857 
July 28, 1857 
do 
do 
16.50 
18.00 
18.50 
17 50 
8861 
8864 
9 o 
o 
do 
do 
do 
do 
8865 
9 o 
