BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 487 



in such diverse conditions, and hence bears out, although only 

 vaguely, Blanford's observations. In southern Italian Somaliland 

 the breeding season is in June and July according to Erlanger (who 

 considers tlie birds of that region distinct — I), f. albicans). 



Besides the specimens collected, this woodpecker was recorded as 

 follows: Loco, March 15-17, 2; Black or North Lake Abaya, March 

 18-20, G birds; White or South Lake Abaya, March 21-2G, 4 seen; 

 near Gardula, March 26-29, 2 birds ; Gato River, March 29 to May 

 17, 200 noted; Bodessa, Sagon Eiver, June 3-6, 12 birds; Tertale, 

 June 6-12, 12 birds noted; El Ade, June 14, 8 seen; Mar Mora, 

 June 15, 6 birds; Turturo, June 15-17, 4; Wobok, June 18, 8 seen; 

 Yebo, June 19, 4; near Saru, June 20, 2 birds; Barsa Barecha, 

 June 21, 2 seen ; Malata, June 22, 1 bird. 



DENDROPiCOS ABYSSINICUS (Stanley) 



Picits abyssinicvs Stanley, in Salt's Voy. Abyssinia, App., p. Ivi, 1814: 

 Etliiopia. 



Specimens collected: 



Four males, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 20-24, 1912. 



One male, Aletto, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7, 1912. 



This species differs from D. fuscescens and D. lafresnayi in having 

 the back pure golden greenish yellow without any dark bars or bands. 

 C. Grant ^* considered hartlaubii a race of this species, but, as has 

 been shown by Bannerman ^^ this form is a subspecies of D. 

 lafresnayi^ a conclusion with which I certainly agree. 



The golden-backed woodpecker is a bird of the highlands of 

 Ethiopia. The four specimens from the Arussi Plateau came from 

 altitudes of from 8,500-9,000 feet (2,550-2,700 meters). Neumann^'' 

 records it as very common at 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in the moun- 

 tains of Gofa, and states that it may occur at higher altitudes. He 

 never saw it in the lower valleys. Erlanger ^' found it in numbers in 

 the Degga and Woina-Degga districts and also in the highlands 

 between Harrar and Adis Abeda. The northernmost point at which 

 the species has been reported is the upper Anseba River, where 

 Zedlitz ^^ procured a male at about 5,600 feet (1,700 meters). Ac- 

 cording to this investigator this woodj)ecker is much rarer in the 

 northern part of its range than in the mountains of Shoa. 



Neumann ^^ writes that old females in breeding plumage have the 

 golden yellow feathers of the upper back somewhat tinged with 

 reddish, but that this is not true of males of corresponding age and 



1^ Ibis, 1915, p. 4G0. 



" Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 10, fasc. 2, 1922, p. 98. 



"Journ. f. Ornith., 1904, pp. 398-399. 



" Idem, 1905, p. 477. 



"Idem, 1910, p. 755. 



