Birds of Gambia. 11 



Tanygnathus, and among them is an everetti, which, accord- 

 ing to th(? label, was purchased by the society in February, 

 1904. From this they appear to be good livers " My Inrd has 

 settled down well in his new home, and takes things very 

 quietly, being by no means excitable, and will eat almost 

 anything, but is especially keen on spray millet, oats, sun- 

 flower, and various nuts. As his beak is horn -coloured, i.e. 

 greyish -white, I presume he is an immature specimen. 



Birds of Gambia. 



By E. HoPKiNsoN, D.S.O., M.A., M.B. 



C(>iiHiii(f(^ fi'iiiii pctije ooo. I'll/ /., Xc/r Series. 



PICIDAE. 



Woodpeckers are very common here, but I only know three 

 different kinds (two large and one small) out of the ten species 

 whose range should include the Gambia. The two larger birds 

 I take to belong to the genera Campothera and Mesopicus, 

 the smaller one to Dendroplcus, but of the actual species lam 

 very uncertain. Our largest Woodpecker {Campothera) seems to 

 get nearly as much of its food on the ground as from the trees. 

 Small parties are frequently to be seen searching about on the ground 

 under trees or in the open on the clearings, especially in the old 

 millet-fields, where the corn-stalks of the previous crop remain 

 for months; among these they diligently hunt for insects, hopping 

 about and splitting the dry stalks with their powerful beaks, if 

 they are lying on the ground, or climbing up those that are still 

 standing. Our small Woodpecker (? Dendroplcus) is much more 

 arboreal in its habits. I cannot remember ever having seen one 

 of them on the ground. Both make a loud tapping noise with their 

 beaks or the trunks of trees and in other respects resemble in their 

 habits our own woodpeckers at home. The Mandingo name for all 

 Woodpeckers is Yiro-kongkonna (Tree-knocker). 



As I know so little about the differences between tnese 

 Woodpeckers, I must content myself by giving a description of the 

 specimens of the two species which I have shot and a list of all the 

 species whose range, as given in 'the Hand -list, includes the Gambia. 



" McCarthy Island, November 21, 1905. Shot one of our 

 largest Woodpeckers, which I take to be one of the Campofherae. 



Description. A light olive-green speckled bird with a red 

 head but no red rump. Above, head from base of bill over crown to 

 nape, crimson, the feathers long, fluffy, and with grey bases. Streak 

 from lower mandible to beneath the eye also crimson; cheeks and 

 ear-coverts, pale olive with small spots of black, like the chin; 



