Form. Feathers of the head in front or at the base of the upper mandible, short, erect and rigid—other plumage of the head above somewhat elongated; wings rather short, with the fourth and fifth quills slightly longest; tail ample, and rather long, with the central feathers longest; bill strong, tarsi and feet moderate, claws strong and curved.
Dimensions.—Total length (of skin) from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, about 10½ inches, wing 4¾, tail 5½ inches.
Colors.—Short feathers at the base of the bill, blue, which color is succeeded by a transverse band of bluish white; cheeks and head above, pale azure blue; sides of the head in front of and behind the eyes, throat and neck in front fine silky black, which forms a wide mask extending to the breast.
Body above, wings and central tail feathers, fine parrot-like green, deepest on the tail, entire inferior surface of the body pale yellowish green. External tail feathers, pale yellow. Bill and feet dark colored. The green feathers of the tail running into blue at their ends, and nearly black on their under surface.
Sexes similar.
Habitat. Mexico and Texas—Specimens in the Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia.
Observations. The present species we regard as deviating in some degree from the characters of the typical species of this genus, as is the case with other species to which it is nearly related. We do not at present, however, consider them as presenting peculiar characters sufficient to constitute a distinct genus, though that excellent ornithologist, the Prince of Canino, has given to this group the generic name of Xanthoura, which embraces the species now before us, C. yucas (Boddaert) and X. quatimalensis. Bonap. (Consp. Av. p. 380.)
Plate 2
The Californian Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus (Swains.)