246 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE OKNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



with white ; the third lateral tail feather on each side has two 

 white spots on the outer web, and a terminal white spot at the tip. 

 With reference to Mr. Blanford's remarks on this species in 

 J. A. S., B., Vol. XLI, of 1872, Part II, p. 155, I note that my 

 bird has the lower parts deep buff, with well-marked dusky 

 stripes. This example agrees well with specimens from Massoorie 

 in Mr. Hume's museum. 



This species was noticed in the Nawakot district ia Novem- 

 ber, and about Bichiakoh ia December. At the latter place it 

 was found in a clump of Acacia trees associated with fungi- 

 picus pygmosus. 



159 bis. — Picus incognitus, Sp. Nov. 



Female, Valley of Nepal, 'ind March. — Length, 7"6 ; expanse, 

 13*5; wing, 4*3; tail, 3*1 ; tarsus, 07 ; bill from gape, 1"06 ; 

 bill at front, 0*84; closed wings short of tail, 1'15. 



Bill plumbeous, pale greyish horny at base of lower mandible ; 

 eyelid leaden ; irides crimson ; feet dingy greenish leaden ; 

 claws plumbeous horny. 



Forehead brown ; vertex and occiput bright gamboge yellow ; 

 rest of upper plumage black with white bars ; tail with the centre 

 feathers black, faintly rayed ; the two outer feathers on each 

 side banded with yellowish white, and the third lateral tail 

 feather on each side with two yellowish white spots on the 

 outer web near the tip ; lores and ear-coverts whity brown ; a 

 white patch on the side of the neck, prolonged narrowly below 

 the ear-coverts ; a brown mandibular stripe on each side of 

 the neck of much the same tint as the forehead ; beneath the 

 plumage sullied white ; the breast and abdomen tinged yellow, 

 and with longitudinal blackish streaks ; vent and under tail- 

 coverts pale crimson. 



I have compared this specimen with twenty-two fine ski us of 

 Picus bnmnifrons from the Western Himalayas in Mr. Hume's 

 museum, and I cannot avoid the conclusion that the Nepal 

 bird is distinct. It is closely allied to bnmnifrons, but diflPers 

 in the following particulars: — It is considerably smaller; the 

 bill is much longer, more pointed, not so deep at the base, and 

 the culmen is decidedly not so straight ; the hind head is bright 

 gamboge yellow instead of rather dull golden (I refer to 

 females) ; and these pale yellow feathers are much longer and 

 corae down on the nape in a sort of crest. 



There can be no doubt as to which is the true hrunnifrons of 

 Vigors, for it is the western species that is so well figured in 

 Gould's Century of Himalayan Birds ; and the figure in 

 Malherbe^s monograph also faithfully represents the same 

 species. I should have hesitated to describe my single speci- 



