458 Mr. C. II. B. Grant on a Collection of 



1826, p. 171, ex Levaillant), Picus chrysopterus Less. (Traite 

 d'Orn. 1831, p. 220 : Cap), Picus flaviscapus Monteiro 

 (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1865, p. 96 : Mossamedes^ nom. nud. and 

 apparently a misprint for fulviscapus), are synonyms. 



Size large ; back and wings blackish, distinctly barred 

 with green or greenish white ; lesser wing-coverts in male 

 greenish, in female blackish. Upper tail-coverts golden 

 green, more or less tinged with red. 



Wing-measurements give the following result: — Cape, ^7 

 (one) 99: GriqualandEast, ^ (five) 96-93, ? (two) 96 & 92; 

 Natal and Zululand, ^ (eight) 96-90, ? (ten) 96-89 ; 

 Orange River Colony, J" (four) 99-94 ; Transvaal and Swazi- 

 land, c? (six) 99-95, ? (three) 97-93 ; luhambane and Beira, 

 Portuguese East Africa, ^ (five), 92-90, ? (three) 95-88; 

 Bechuanaland, S (five) 98-92, ? (four) 96-93; Mashona- 

 land, (J (three) 95-94, ? (two) 95 & 93 ; south-eastern 

 Rhodesia, S (seven) 99-92, ? (two) 92 & 90 ; Zambesi, ^ 

 (seven) 97-90, ? (five) 95-89 ; Daniaraland, ^ (six) 95-88, 

 ? (six) 95-89; southern Angola, ^ (two) 95; Nyasaland 

 and Angoniland, S (ten) 94-87, ? (seven) 95-87 ; North- 

 east Rhodesia, (^ (one) 94, ? (three) 98-91 ; eastern 

 Belgian Congo, ^ (one) 94 mm. 



Taking into consideration the individual variation that 

 occurs, even in a series from one locality, both in the colora- 

 tion and the measurement, it must be admitted that only 

 one form should be recognised in South Africa. 



Range. Cape Colony and Natal northwards to Damara- 

 laud and southern Angola (Caconda and Benguella) on the 

 west, and Nyasaland, North-east Rhodesia, and eastern 

 Belgian Congo on the east. 



Dendropicos fuscescens hemfrichii. 



Picus hemprichii Hemp. & Ehr. Symb. Phys. 1828, 

 fol. ?'. 2 : Akiko, Abyssinia. 



Size smaller and general appearance much lighter than 

 D. f. fuscescens, hsick and wings more sooty, distinctly barred 

 with white, lesser wing-coverts in male blackish as in the 

 female, upper tail-coverts red. 



