between Takuo and Peking, North China. 339 



The iris was white, with a slight wash of pink. Bill bluish 

 grey, except the basal edge of upper mandible and basal half of 

 lower, which were gi'eenish yellow ; legs greenish grey, claws 

 bluish grey. The birds had not completed their moult during 

 September. 



81. Large Pied Woodpecker. Picus cabanisil 



This species is wonderfully similar to P. major, but does not 

 quite tally with M'Gilliv ray's description. Mr. Blyth identifies 

 the Pied Woodpecker from Foochow and Canton with P. cabanisi, 

 and I strongly suspect this is the same, though I have not spe- 

 cimens at hand just now to compare with it. I sent Mr. Sclater 

 a Canton specimen in my last box, and I now enclose the male, 

 procured in the north, so that he will be able to compare and 

 make his comments. 



The first and only time I met this species was near Peking on 

 a cold and sunny day in November. The bird uttered the usual 

 "pic-pic" of the pied group as it flew away to an adjoining tree, 

 on an upper branch of which it stood and eyed me without 

 showing any signs of fear. I then saw at a glance that it was a 

 larger species than any I had yet met in these parts, and when 

 I shot it I was delighted to pick up what I took to be an old 

 acquaintance. 



82. Pied Woodpecker. Picus ? 



I suspect this is a new species. It was quite common in all 

 the groves, but very shy and unapproachable. I only managed 

 to secure one male. M. Zill procured a female, which was similar 

 in all respects to the male, except that the red feathers on the 

 crown were exchanged for black ones, and the top of the beak 

 was black freckled with yellowish grey. This bird generally 

 prefers the higher branches of the trees, round which it dodges, 

 and so eludes observation. If the intruder comes too near, he 

 hears the bird utter the notes "pic-pic," and before he can again 

 get a glance at it, the noise of the quick beats of its wing reaches 

 his ear, and he sees the creature disappear with a rise-and-fall 

 flight into an adjoining copse. This bird also often repeats that 

 peculiar rattle that P. major is heard to do at home. The noise 

 may well be imitated by pressing one end of a stick on a table 



