48 
Newton says that Latham’s “ Halifax in Yorkshire” 
may mean the “ Halifax in Nova Scotia.” Of the Whitby 
specimen he says nothing to discredit the occurrence. 
Of the Halifax birds it must be noted that here 
again it was a pair of birds that Latham said he saw; 
which had been shot by Mr. Bolton—thus disposing of 
the idea that they could be escaped specimens. 
We have it on the authority of Newman that they 
were examined by Latham. Where was Bolton resident ? 
The bird killed near Whitby in 1849, when 
examined had still flesh adhering to the legs and wings. 
The fact that Woodpeckers brought from America 
in the middle of the last century in 1764, were let loose 
in England according to ‘ an old Soldier’ as narrated by 
Walcot in 1789, does not seem to affect the question, 
which will concern the occurrence of three species of 
American Woodpeckers, birds which are very seldom 
found in captivity; this Aas however been suggested. 
My eggs were taken May g, and 16, 1885, at Gran- 
ville, New York: they are indistinguishable from the eggs 
of “P. Mednis:: 
THE DOWNY WOODPECKER. 
( Picus PUBESCENS.) 
Rejected from the B.O,U. List. 
Noticed by Newton. 
Noticed by Seebohm. 
Mr. O. Pickard, Cambridge, possessed the specimen 
killed at Bloxworth, in Dorsetshire, in December, 1836. 
It was considered to be a specimen of the Lesser Spotted 
Woodpecker ; until Mr. Bond recognized in it ‘ Pubes- 
. 
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