108 
U. 8. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY— GENERAL REPORT. 
Section Centureae. 
The United States genera of this section are very similar to each other, and may be most 
easily distinguished by color, as follows : 
Centurus.— Back and wings banded transversely with black and white. Crown more or less 
red ; rest of head with under parts greyish, and with red or yellow tinge on the middle of the 
abdomen. Rump white. 
Melanerpes.— Upper parts uniform black, without bands, with or without a white rump ; 
variable beneath, but without transverse bands. 
CENTURUS, Swainson. 
Centurus, Siv. Class. Birds, II, 1837, 310, (type C. carolinus.) 
Zebrapicus, Malh. Mem. Acad. Metz, 1849, 360, (type C. carolinus.) 
Bill about the length of the head, or a little longer ; decidedly compressed, except at th e 
extreme base. A lateral ridge starting a little below the culmen at the base of the bill, and 
angular for half the length of the bill, then becoming obsolete, though traceable nearly to the 
tip. Culmen considerably curved from the base ; gonys nearly straight. Nostrils very broad, 
elliptical; situated about midway on the side of the mandible, near the base ; partly concealed. 
Outer pairs of toes unequal; the anterior toe longest. Wings long, broad; third to fifth 
primaries equal and longest. Tail feathers rather narrow, stiffened. 
The species are all banded above transversely with black and white. The rump white. The 
head and under parts are brown. The belly with a red or yellow tinge. 
The species of Centurus may be arranged as follows : 
A. Middle of belly red. 
Crown, nape, and behind the auriculars red. Forehead white, tinged with red. C. carolinus . 
B. Middle of belly yellow ; a square patch of red in the middle of the crown. 
Forehead yellow ; nuchal collar orange yellow ; a white band between the red of the 
crown and the yellow front. Rump white. Middle tail feathers black.— C. flaviventris. 
Entire upper parts of head and nape light brownish, except on the crown ; forehead 
rather purer. Rump banded with black. Middle tail feathers varied with white and 
black................(7. uropygialis. 
Comparative measurements . 
Catal. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex. 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle 
toe. 
Its claw 
alone. 
Bill 
above. 
Along 
gape. 
Specimen 
measured. 
865 
Centurus carolinus... 
Carlisle, Pa........ 
<J 
8.84 
5.20 
3.74 
0.84 
0.94 
0.44 
1.26 
1.34 
Skin. 
.......do .......... 
9.75 
17.00 
5.18 
6118 
Q 
8.60 
5.00 
3.70 
0.80 
0 94 
0 44 
1.16 
1 20 
6121 
Centurus flaviventris. 
San Antonio,Tex.. 
8 
9.14 
5.24 
3.56 
0.90 
1.00 
0.42 
1.44 
1.46 
Skin ....... 
9085 
Q 
9.00 
5.02 
3.52 
0.90 
1.04 
0.42 
1.30 
1.32 
6124 
8.22 
5.00 
3.20 
0.94 
1.02 
0.38 
1.26 
1.32 
4036 
8.90 
5.12 
3 38 
0.88 
0.94 
0.38 
1.30 
1.32 
Skin ___ 
.do. 
9.00 
15.50 
5.00 
1256 
Q 
9.20 
5.40 
3.76 
0.80 
1.08 
0.40 
1.22 
1.30 
6129 
Centurus uropygialis . 
Gila liver...... 
8.16 
... s .... 
4.82 
3.66 
0.80 
0.99 
0.34 
1.14 
1.14 
Skin ....... 
4568 
.do. 
8.50 
4.90 
3.54 
0.88 
0 94 
0.40 
1.18 
1.18 
6128 
...do .......... 
8 
8.84 
.. . . 
5.20 
3.78 
0.82 
1.04 
0.40 
1.30 
1.32 
Skin ....... 
9087 
10.06 
5.08 
4.10 
1.00 
1.10 
0.36 
1.40 
1.46 
Skin. 
9086 
6 *.° 
Q 
9.64 
4.84 
4.00 
0.90 
0 90 
0.42 
1.10 
1.10 
9082 
Centurus radiolatus.. 
Jamaica .. 
9.08 
4.70 
3.72 
0.90 
1.12 
0.40 
1.40 
1.40 
Skin ....... 
