490 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PICABIjE — PICIFOBMES. 
455. 
157. 
Fig. 341. — Califoriiian Woodpecker, iiat. size. 
C.) 
black around base of bill and on the chin completely j crown in the $ crimson from the 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 belly. 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 some 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 1.12 ! 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 
(Ad nat. del. purpose ; whole branches are fre- 
E. C.) quently studded in this manner. Gen- 
eral manners and bearing those of the common red-head. Eggs 1.10 X 0.90. 
M. f. angus'tifrons. (Lat. angustus, narrow, straitened; frons, forehead.) Narrow-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. 
ASYNDES'MUS. (Gr. a privative, avv^ sun^ together ; 8ecr/xoy, desmos, a bond ; alluding to 
the loosened texture of the feathers of certain parts.) Bristle-bellied Woodpeckers. Bill 
almost colaptine in general aspect, but with short distinct lateral ridges as in Melanerpes ; as 
long as head, rather longer than tarsus, not broader than high at base, compressed and some- 
what curved toward end; pointed 
with scarcely any lateral bevelling, 
culmen curved and scarcely ridged ; 
gonys straight. Wings of excessive 
length, ftdding 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 little 
beyond base of outer anterior. Feath- 
ers t)f under parts and of a nuchal col- 
lar with the fibrillse of their colored 
portions enlarged in calibre, bristly, 
of silicious hardness, loosened and 
disconnected, being devoid of bar- 
bicels and booklets. Dorsal plu- Fig. 342. — Lewis' Woodpecker, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 
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.) Lew^is' Woodpecker. Col- 
lared Woodpecker. J' 9 , adult : Upper parts, including wings and tail, tianks and crissum, 
green-black with intense bronzy lustre, especially on the back — this iridescence like that of 
Qiiiscaliis (cneus almost. Face dark crimson, in a patch of velvety feathers around bill and eyes. 
