202 PROCEEDINGS OE THE ACADEMY OF 



brownish ashy instead of being pure white, as in P. pubescens, which it ranch 

 resembles. This color of the under parts varies in shade in different speci- 

 mens, as in Picus Harrisii, and is probably correctly stated by Prof. Baird to 

 be darker in the more northern specimens, though the supposition entertained 

 by him, that such is always the case in this species and in P. Harrisii, is not 

 without grave difficulties, especially in view of the migration southward of 

 northern specimens, which takes place to an extent sufficient to interfere 

 with such a theory, even in species stated to be "resident." I suspect that 

 the dark color of the under parts in these species is acquired much as stated 

 by Mr. Audubon to be the case in Picus pubescens : " I have observed," he 

 says, " that during their stay in the Floridas, Georgia and the Carolinas, their 

 breasts and bellies are so soiled by the carbonaceous matter adhering to the 

 trees in consequence of the burning of the grass at that season, that one might 

 be apt to take a specimen in that state as belonging to a difl'erent species." 

 (Orn. Biog. ii. p. 82). 



Specimens occasionally have been brought in collections which seem to 

 combine the characters of this species and of .P. pubescens, and suggest a pre- 

 sumption of hybridity. Of this description apparently is Picus Turati, Mal- 

 herbe. 



20. Pious Turati, Malherbe. 



Picus Turati, Main., Mon. i. p. 125, pi. xxix. fig. 5, 6. 

 The figures of this bird in M. Malherbe's plate much resemble small speci- 

 mens of Picus pubescens except in the black stripes on the side of the head, 

 which are more like those in P. Gairdneri. It may be a distinct and valid 

 species, but I suspect that it is founded on intermediate specimens which are 

 probably hybrids of the two species. The localities given by M. Malherbe are 

 California and the Rocky Mountains. 



21. Picus albolarvatus, Cassin. 



At the time of the publication of Prof. Baird's great work, "The Birds of 

 North America," but few specimens of this species were known to be extant, 

 which fact fully warranted him in stating it to be " an exceedingly rare spe- 

 cies, not more than three or four skins being known to exist in collections." 

 Since that period, however, other specimens have been received from Capt. 

 John Feilner, U. S. Army, who obtained them in the vicinity of Fort Crook, 

 California, in which district it is apparently of frequent occurrence. 



22. Picus Macei, Vieillot. 



This species varies in size very considerably, but three specimens in the 

 Academy Museum are decidedly larger than all the others. Two of them were 

 received ia the fine Indian collection made by Capt. T. Boys, of the East In- 

 dian Company's service, and were labelled "P. nepalensis" in England. 

 These specimens may be the Dendrocopus pyricps, Hodgson, and are so much 

 larger than the usual specimens of P. Macei, that their specific distinction is 

 quite possible. 



23. Picus puncticeps, D'Orbigny et Lafresnaye. 



DOrb., Voy. Am. Mer. Ois. pi. 64, fig. 1. 

 With original specimens from M. D'Orbigny's collection before me, I am at 

 present disposed to regard this bird as distinct from P. lignarius, Molina, though 

 given as synonymous by M. Malherbe. M. D'Orbigny's figure, cited above, 

 represents the female, which is rather smaller than the male of the same 

 species in the Academy Museum, but both are so much smaller, lighter co- 

 lored, and different in some other particulars, that I cannot regard them as 

 identical with P. lignarius. The black stripes on the under parts in P. punc- 

 ticeps are narrower and less numerous than in P. lignarius. The figure in 

 M. D'Orbigny's plate faithfully represents the size and other characters of the 

 female, and the full figure given by M. Malherbe represents the male of P. 



[July, 



