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RED-SHAFTED WOODPECKER. 
Pious mexicanus, Swains. 
PLATE CCLXXIV. — Male and Female. 
• 
This beautiful species was first described by Mr. Swainson from Mexican 
specimens. The extent of its distribution is as yet imperfectly known, 
especially bo ward the north. My friend Mr. Nuttall states, that “among 
the narrow belt of forest which borders Lorimie’s Pork of the Platte, we 
met with the Mexican Colaptes, and never scarcely lost sight of it to the 
shores of the Pacific. Its manners in all respects are so entirely similar to 
those of the common species, that the same description applies to both. It 
is, however, always a much shyer bird, and frequeuts the ground less. In 
the breeding season it utters the same echoing note of ichiltoe, whittoe, 
u'hittoe ; the males at the same time dodging after, and pursuing each other 
in jealousy and anger. They also burrow into the oak or pine trees, and 
lay white eggs, after the manner of the whole family. How far they 
proceed to the north I am unable to say.” Mr. Townsend informs me that 
it is known to the Chinook Indians by the name of A-Koptil-Kow , and in 
regard to habits is similar to Pious auratus, the male equally partaking of 
the task of incubation. 
I have represented the male and the female. 
Colaptes mexicanus, Swains. Synop. of Birds of Mex. Phil. Mag. N. 84. 
Colaptes mexicanus, Red-shafted Woodpecker , Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., 
vol. ii. p. 315. 
Red-shafted Woodpecker, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 603. 
Red-shafted Woodpecker, Picas Mexicanus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 174. 
Male, 13i , wing, 6ff. Female, 13. 
Pocky Mountains, Columbia river, and northward to the Saskatchewan. 
Abundant. Migratory. 
Adult Male. v 
Bill slightly arched, strong, nearly as long as the head, angular, com- 
pressed at the tip, which is scarcely truncate or cuneate. Upper mandible 
with the dorsal line somewhat arched, the ridge narrow, the sides sloping, 
the lateral angle quite close to the ridge, the edges sharp and overlapping ; 
lower mandible with the angle long and rather narrow, the crural outline a 
