IYNX 143 



1882, p. 208 ; Hat-gift, Cat. B. M. xviii, p. 565 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. 



i, p. 130 (1896) ; Woodward Bros, and Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, pp. 411, 



- 502 [Zululand] ; Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 106 (1899). 



Description. Adult. General colour above, speckled-brown, an 

 irregular black streak from the middle of the crown to the shoulders; 

 wing-coverts and inner secondaries with a number of black paler 

 edged spots ; wing-quills dusky-black with pale brick spots and 

 bars on both webs ; tail-feathers (the shafts of which are not 



stiffened and pointed as in other woodpeckers) irregularly barred 

 with black ; ear-coverts and cheeks barred black and white; chin, 

 throat and upper breast rich chestnut-brown, rest of the under 

 surface dull white, the breast streaked, the abdomen barred with 

 black; under tail-coverts slightly rufescent also with black markings; 

 under wing-coverts pale rufous. 



Iris reddish-brown ; bill, legs and feet dull light green. 



Length about 7'0; wing 3-40; tail 2-70; culmen 0'60; tarsus 

 0-65. 



The sexes are alike in marking and size. 



Distribution. Most of the evidence hitherto advanced seems 

 to point to the fact that this is a migratory bird spending the winter 

 from May to October in South Africa, and the other part of the 

 year in central Africa, though Mr. Millar is rather of opinion that 

 it is found near Durban all the year round. 



Within our limits it has been noticed in the eastern half of the 

 Cape Colony, Natal, and the western Transvaal only, beyond at 

 Nairobbe (Jan.) and Lake Naivascha in British east Africa, at Lado 

 on the Upper Nile, and at Landana on the Congo. 



The following are South African localities : Cape Colony 

 Grahamstown (Layard), Stockenstroom, April to Jan. (Atmore), 

 Butterworth in the Transkei (S. A. Mus.) ; Natal Ifafa (Woodward), 



