Miscellaneous. 897 



trils, althonL'h this involves an rxtent of anterior development pro- 

 portioiinte to the lenglh oftlie jaws; and the forward production of 

 these sharji-toothed instruments fitted them, as in the modern Dol- 

 phins, for tlie ])relunsion of agile fishes. 



In most Lacertians the median suture of the premaxillaries is 

 soon obliterated ; the like obtains in the Plesiosaurus, but the suture 

 is persistent in the Ichthyosaurus, as in Labyrinthodouts and Croco- 

 diles. 



Note on Anemone nemorosa purpurea. 

 By Dr. J.E.Gray, F.R.S.&c. 



In general, the flowers of Anemone nemorosa arc white, or white 

 with a more or less broad purple streak up the centre of the outside 

 of the outer petals. In a field at Pinner, Middlesex, there are 

 patches of this plant, intermixed with patches of the usual kind, 

 which have a darker foliage, and the flower entirely of a dark purple- 

 lilac. I may also add, that the usual colour of the Primrose in the 

 neighbourhood of Uaverfordwest is pale bluish-red ; and all grada- 

 tions between that colour and vellow are to be observed. 



Description of a neic species of Woodpecker. By P. L. Sclater. 

 Melanerpes rubrigularis. 



Supra nitenti-niger : linea circumnuchali ah oculis incipiente, 

 altera utrinque suboculari a rictu latiore, tectricibus alarum 

 superioribus, clorso postico et caiuloe tectricibus superioribus, 

 necnon maculis secundariarum triura extimurum upicalibus et 

 in pogonio externo primariarum tertice, quartce et quintce albis: 

 subtus nitenti-niger, gula media ruberrima, abdomine medio 

 Jlavicante, luteribus et crisso albo nigroque variegatis ; tectri- 

 cibus alarum inferioribus et remigum pogonio interiore cineras- 

 centi-nigris, maculis quadratis numerosis albis : caudce rectri- 

 cibus oninino nigris : rostro et pedibus nigris. 



Long, tota 85, alae b'A, caudee 3\5, rostri a froute TO, tarsi 0'8. 



This Woodpecker, which is represented by IMr. Bridges as very 

 rare, appears to have escaped the researches of the American natu- 

 ralists ; at least I am acquainted with no record of its existence, 

 though it may have been described quite lately. It appears to be 

 well placed in the genus Melanerpes, of which no less than six species 

 are already known to inhabit California, namely M. erythrocep)halns, 

 M. torquatus, M. thyroideus (Cassiu, B. Cal. pi. 32 : Picus natulice, 

 Malherbe, Cab. Journ. f. Orn., 1854, p. 271), M. formicivorus 

 (Cassin, B. Cal. pi. 2), M. albolarvatus, and M. i-uber. From all 

 these it is quite diff^erent in colouring, and may be recognized at 

 once by its black breast and bright scarlet throat-mark, whence I 

 have named it 3/. rubrigularis. 



" A very rare bird, the only one of the species I have ever seen. 

 Shot in Trinity Valley, on the pines. Probably this may occur more 



