12 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. HI 
Two Races of the Red-breasted Sapsucker 
BY JOSEPH GRINNEEE 
^ Sphyrapicus varius ruber (Ginelin) Ridgway.*' 
Type — 5 ad., No. 3964, Coll. F. S. Daggett; Puj^allup, Washington; November 22, 1895; 
Collected by Geo. G. Cantwell. 
Description — Head, neck and breast, deep carmine, posteriorly beneath fading ont, but on 
nape, abruptly defined. Concealed pectoral black patch, indicated by a deepening of the red of 
that area into maroon. Loral stripe including nasal tufts, white; eye narrowly encircled with 
black, from which a narrow black line extends forward along the upper margin of the white loral 
stripe; a small area of black around base of lower mandible. Median posterior lower surface, 
dingy primrose yellow; sides with black sagittate markings on a light olive ground; flanks irreg- 
ularly barred with blackish on a yellowish white ground. Crissum whitish, with hastate dusky 
markings toward bases of feathers. Dorsal surface, wings and tail steely black, marked as 
follows: Longitudinally down middle of back from nape to rumj), the feathers of this tract being 
basally black, then white to a variable extent, then a hastate black interval, and finally tipped 
with lemon yellow; the whole effect is of a double yellowish stripe down middle of back. Copper 
tail coverts medially white tinged with primrose yellow. Narrow soiled whitish edgings near 
tips of outer two tail feathers on each side. Inner webs of central pair of tail feathers with five 
abruptly defined rectangular white spots, these not meeting the shaft. Median and greater wing 
coverts broadly tipped with white, forming a consj)icuous white stripe on closed wing. Wing 
quills with numerous small white spots on their inner amd outer edges and narrowly white tipped. 
Measiircuients of Type — Wing, 5.04; tail, 3.75; tarsus, .80; culmen, .99. 
Habitat — Northwest coast region of North America, .south in California through the Santa 
Cruz Mountains. 
Sphyrapicus varius dagfgetti new subspecies. 
Type — (5 ad.. No. 1482 Coll. F. S. Daggett; Pasadena, California; January 25, 1893; Collected 
by F. S. Daggett. 
Deseription — Head, neck and breast, crimson, inclining to burnt carmine in region of con- 
cealed pectoral black patch. Loral stripe, including nasal tufts, white; narrow patch from in 
front of, to below eye, black, this forming part of the upper border of the loral stripe. Small 
areas of black feathers at bases of rami of lower mandible. Median posterior lower surface, pale 
primrose yellow. Sides and flanks, dusky whitish, with numerous sagittate blackish markings. 
Feathers of crissum white, with central black patches. Dorsal surface, wings and tail, steely 
black, marked as follows: Feathers composing longitudinal double stripe down middle of back, 
extensively white; runi]) and ui)i)er tail coverts, principally white. Inner webs of central pair of 
tail feathers, white, enclosing tliree black spots. Median and greater wing coverts broadlj’ tipped 
with white, forming a conspicuous white stripe on closed wdng. Wing (juills with numerous 
white spots on their inner and outer edges, and more extensively wdiite-tipped. 
Measurements of Type — Wing. 4.83; tail, 3.55; tarsus, .80; culmen, .96. 
Habitat — .Southern California and the west slope of the Sierra Nevada north ai least to Ama- 
dor County. 
I have examined a number of skins of the nuchalis tt’pe, and others approaching 
ruber in almost every degree, and I am certain that there is a continuous inter- 
gradation geographically between the eastern N. varius and ruber of the Pacific 
Coast. The intermediates do not appear to be the result of “hybridization” and the 
case does not seem to me at all a parallel to that of Colaptes auratus and C. cafer. 
Therefore I see no reason whj’ the Red-breasted .Sapsucker is of more , than sub- 
specific rank. 
The Red-breasted Sapsucker in its Pacific Coast range is represented by two 
races (= sub-races!) as above indicated. Sphyrapicus varius ruber is character- 
ized by larger size, deeper reds and an invasion of yellow, and a minimum extent 
of white markings. Sphyrapicus varius daggetti is smaller, paler and with a maxi- 
mum extent of white markings. Dryobates villosus Jwrrisii and D. v. Jiy/oscopus of 
corresponding habitats show a similar difference in respect to size and extent of 
white markings. 
I take pleasure in naming this new woodpecker for mj^ respected friend, Mr. 
F. vS. Daggett. 
*Piciis ruber Gmelin, Systema Naturae, Tom I. 1788; p. 429. 
SphyropicHS varius var. ruber RioG w.\v, .American Jourual of Science.s and .^rts, 3rd Series, Volume V, 1873: p. 40. 
