Melanerpes erythrocephalus.
883 ♀
Dr. Coues places M. torquatus in a new genus, Asyndesmus, characterized by a peculiar texture of the under part and nuchal collar, in which the
fibres are disconnected on their terminal portion, enlarged and stiffened, almost bristle-like; otherwise the characters are much as in Melanerpes. It should, however, be noted, that the feathers of the red portion of the head in the other species have the same texture.
Species and Varieties.
A. Sexes similar. Young very different from the adult.
M. torquatus. Feathers of the lower parts, as well as of frontal, lateral, and under portions of the head, with the fibres bristle-like. (Asyndesmus, Coues.) Upper parts wholly uniform, continuous, very metallic blackish-green. Adult. Forehead, lores, cheeks, and chin deep crimson, of a burnt-carmine tint; jugulum, breast, and a ring entirely around the nape, grayish-white; abdomen light carmine. Back glossed with purplish-bronze. Young without the red of the head, and lacking the grayish nuchal collar; abdomen only tinged with red, no purple or bronze tints above. Wing, 6.70; tail, 4.50. Hab. Western Province of the United States, from the Black Hills to the Pacific.
M. erythrocephalus. Feathers generally soft, blended; those of the whole head and neck with stiffened and bristle-like fibres in the adult. Secondaries, rump, and upper tail-coverts, with whole lower parts from the neck, continuous pure white. Two lateral tail-feathers tipped with white. Adult. Whole head and neck bright venous-crimson or blood-red, with a black convex posterior border across the jugulum; back, wings, and tail glossy blue-black. Young. Head and neck grayish, streaked with dusky; back and scapulars grayish, spotted with black; secondaries with two or three black bands; breast tinged with grayish, and with sparse dusky streaks. Wing, 5.90; tail, 3.90. Hab. Eastern Province of the United States, west to the Rocky Mountains.
B. Sexes dissimilar; young like the adult.
M. formicivorus. Forehead and a broad crescent across the middle of the throat (the two areas connected by a narrow strip across the lore), white, more or less tinged with sulphur-yellow. Rump, upper tail-coverts, abdomen,
sides, and crissum, with patch on base of primaries, pure white, the sides and breast with black streaks. Other portions glossy blue-black.