( 109 ) 



from their hiding places. The eggs are 

 white, and are placed in a hole, hollow- 

 ed out by the bird in a dead tree or 

 limb. 



This family possesses 250 species, of 

 which 18 are found in China ; 12 of 

 these are peculiar to China alone. 

 The Yangtse Valley has 4 species. 



YANGTSE GEEEN WOOD- 

 PECKER. 



PICUS GUEBINI (mALH). 

 [Gecinus guerini (Malh)] 



Description. — Length 10 to 11 inches. 



Bill black above, yellow below. 

 Feet olive green. Iris white. 



Back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail 

 coverts soft grey washed with greenish 

 yellow, washing heaviest on the rump. 

 The amount of greenish washing varies 

 very considerably. Head and neck 

 bluish grey except that the lores and 

 center of the crown are much darker. A 

 black streak through the center of the 

 nape and on either side of the head 

 below the auriculars. The forehead is 

 scarlet in the male. Throat grey, 

 under parts greenish grey washed 

 yellow. Wing feathers are very dark 

 brown, spotted white and outer webs 

 washed yellow. Under sides of the vu>^ 

 grey spotted white. The tail feathers 

 are dull brown washed yellowish groen 

 and spotted yellowish brown. 



The North China form (Picus canus) 

 is decidedly more greyish, and the 

 South China one (Picus tancola) more 

 green, and both have more red on the 

 head than the Yangtse Valley form 

 (Picus guerini). 



Distribution. — Central China. It is 

 a rather common resident in the 

 Yangtse Valley. 



