[106.] IS C o l a p t e s a u r a t u s . (Swains.) Golden-shafted Woodpecker.
Ge n u s , Colaptes, Sw ain s. Sub-genus, (Typical form,) Sw a in s.
Picus auratus. F o r s t e r , Phil. Trans., lxii., p. 387, No. 12.
Golden-wing Woodpecker. P e n n . Arct. Zool., ii., p. 270, No. 158. W its., i., p. 45
pi. 13, f. 1. V i e i l . Ois. de VAm., ii., pi. 123.
Picus auratus. Sab., Frankl.Joum., p. 666, B onaP. Syn., No. 36. W a g e . Picus, No. 84. Oothee quan-nornow. Cr e e I n d ia n s .
This beautifully marked bird visits the fur-countries only in the summer time,
advancing as far north as Great Slave Lake, hut resorting in the greatest
numbers to the plains of the Saskatchewan. Instead of hiding itself in the depths
of the forest, like the other Woodpeckers, it frequents the open downs, and
employs itself in turning over the ant-hillocks in search of the larvee on which
it preys. Having made its repast, it often perches on the summit of a dead tree,
to repose itself, its_mode of life by no means requiring the continual toil which
the Pici of the preceding pages are condemned to. It can, however, use its bill
very efficiently in excavating a hole for its nest. In the pairing season the male
frequently makes a loud rapping on the branch of a tree with its bill, which I
have conjectured to be a signal to its mate, as I did not observe that it drilled
holes at such times. Though a watchful and, in some respects, a shy bird, I
have known it to construct its nest in the natural cavity of a solitary tree,
standing near the door of a trading-post.
DESCRIPTION
Of a male, killed on the Saskatchewan, May 14, 1827.
Colour.—Upper plumage hair-brown: nuchal crest tipped with arterial blood-red; the fore
part of the back, the scapulars, wing coverts, and lesser quills, regularly barred with black
(this colour extending also to the middles of the lesser quills).' Greater quills umber-brown,
with small marginal hair-brown spots; the shafts of all the quills, the interior of the wings,
and the basal half of the tail beneath, bright saffron-yellow. Rump pure white ; its sides
and the tail coverts above and below banded with black and white. Tail pitch-black, obso-
letely tipped and spotted on the edges with brownish-white. Sides of the head, chin, and
under plumage, fawn-coloured*, fading to greyish-white towards the vent. Maxillary band,
a gorget on the breast, and round spots over the whole ventral plumage, velvet black. Bill
bluish-black. Irides brown. Legs greyish-blue.—'The female differs merely in wanting the
maxillary band.—R.
Form, typical. Bill much compressed; the culmen sharply ridged, and gently curved in
its whole length: there is not the least vestige of lateral ridges or angles on the upper man*
Intermediate between yeUounshftroton and brownish-purple. (Light cinnamon or fawn-colour._Wn.a.)
PICIDÆ. 315
dible. Nostrils large, oval, only partially protected by setaceous feathers. Head not
crested; neck thick. Wings lengthened, obliquely pointed. Tail feathers not lanceolate,
as in the other genera, but with the inner shaft broader and suddenly contracting towards the
tip, so as to form a deep sinus or notch. Feet rather weak ; the tarsus rather longer than
the posterior outer toe and claw, which is shorter than the anterior. Claws slender.—Sw.
Dimensions
Length, total .
„ of tail
,, of wing
„ of bill above
Of the male.
Inch.
13y
Lin.
6
2
Length of bill to rictus
,, of tarsus
Inch. Lin.
. 1 n
. i l*
Length of outer hind toe
: „ of its nail
Inch.
0
. 0
Lin.
9
4f
6 6 „ of middle toe . . 1 0 „ of inner hind toe 0 4
1 6 „ of middle nail . 0 5f „ of its nail . 0 3
[107.] 2. C o l a p t e s M e x i c a n u s . (Swains.)'* Red-shafted Woodpecker.
Ge n u s , Colaptes, Sw a in s. Sui-gmm, (Typical form,) Sw ain s.
Colaptes Mexicanus. Sw ain s. Syn. {Phil. Mag., June, 1827); No. 84*
Colaptes collaris. V igors, Zool. Jowm., xv., January, 1829, p. 354.
This species inhabits Mexico, New California, and the coast of the Pacific for
some distance to the northward of the Columbia River. A specimen, killed to
the westward of the Rocky Mountains, was presented by Mr. David Douglas.t
DESCRIPTION
Of a specimen, killed by Mr. Douglas on the banks of the Columbia.
Colour.—Dorsal plumage a shade darker than that of the preceding species, and, together
with the white rump and tail coverts, similarly marked : quill feathers blackish-brown,
edged at the tip with brownish-white, their shafts, and indeed those of almost the whole
plumage, as well as the insides of the wings and under surface of the tail, reddish-orange.
Tail above pitch-black, the exterior pair of feathers minutely tipped with white : shafts o
the central pair brownish, of the others reddish-orange for two-thirds of their length.
Maxillary stripe arterial blood-red; the rest of the under plumage vmaceous with a blac
gorget on the breast and round spots elsewhere, as in the C. auratus.— F o r m of the preceding
species.
I I, is highly probable that this is the var. A. ot Dr. Latham’s Gold-wmged ^ m e to J S
which, upon erroneous information, is described as having been brought fr f om the I3ape of 1Good ^ and named the bird Pious Cafer 0 which name is transferred in» the
having seen the species or knowing its real habitat, changes t h e H | m‘ ° “ and published it undir
Previous, however, to tho appearance of this latte work, * ’ a t t g good descrip-
^ o n t i X t h f ^ Sde“tifi0 hiS‘0ry' ” °f '°UrPri0r
dT o d v o n ^ e d e s of this group has yet been found in Africa ; it is the Pic Laboureur of Le Vaillant described by
Mr^ B u r * r in Us Travels,^nder the specific name of terrestris,- a prior designation to that of »rate, of which
M. Cuvier was not aware. Mr. Burchell very judiciously considers it the type of a submenus, named by him, m
2 S 2