v

 

 

 

 

——————-

TaB. XLVII.
PICUS OCCIPITALIS.

Mas. Pie. viridis, uropygio lutescenti; fronte coccineo ; vertice, strigd lata occipitali ad
“A . . . . ° . ee
nucham extendente, alteraque utrinque sub oculos postrictal, atres ; remigibus rectricibus-

gue fusco atris, harum duabus mediis pullido-fusco striatis, illis externé albo maculatis ;

“A . .
gula genisque canis.
Foem. Fronte atra albo lineata.

Longitudo corporis, 12 unc.; ale, 6; rostri, 2; tarsi, 1+; caude, 4.

Tuers appears to be a natural group of the Woodpeckers, intermediate betwixt the genus Colaptes whose
habits confine them entirely to the ground, and the typical Picide who gain their subsistence almost wholly
from the bark of trees. In this intermediate division—of which our own Picus viridis and the Picus canus of
the Continent may be considered as the types, and which are the only species found in Europe—the present
as well as the succeeding Himalayan species may be classed ; all these birds being found, like the typical
Woodpeckers, to frequent trees as a resort for food; while at the same time they equally subsist, like the
ground-feeding species, on ants and other insects, which they obtain on the surface of the ground.

The Picus occipitalis, so named from the peculiar black mark on the hinder part of the head, has hitherto
been entirely unknown, and it is only in the more temperate parts of the mountams so often alluded to, that
it has as yet been captured.

In the male the forehead is bright scarlet ; the top of the head, occiput and back of the neck, are jet
black ; the sides of the face and throat grey, with the exception of a slight black moustache ; the upper
surface is of a dull green passing into yellow on the rump; the wings olive green; the quills and tail are
brown, the former having their outer edges barred with white, the latter its two middle feathers obscurely
barred with a deeper brown ; the breast and under parts are dull greenish grey ; the bill and tarsi black.

The female differs only in having the forehead black instead of scarlet.

The male is figured of the natural size. The head of the female is alone given, showing the difference of

plumage above alluded to.