WEITE-BUMPED WOODPECKER. 57 



The' White-rumped Woodpecker is an inhabitant of the most northern 

 parts of Europe and Siberia. It is not rare in Russia, Poland, and 

 Prussia, extending through Esthonia, Courhxnd, and Finland. It is 

 sometimes found in Silesia, and occasionally in the western and southern 

 parts of Germany. One individual is recorded as having been shot in 

 the Pyrenees, by M. Ernest Dalaybe. It is included in the birds of 

 Greece, by Count Miihle and Dr. Lindermayer. Mr. Wheelwright 

 writes me word that it is spread over Scandinavia, but appears to be 

 more common in the midland districts. "They do not, however, breed 

 with us, but in the thick fir forests of North Wermerland. It breeds 

 also in Gothland, but is a rare winter migrant to Scania. It seems 

 to prefer level tracts to stony rises. It is by no means shy, and often 

 comes in winter about the wood fences round the houses; but in the 

 forest it is generally seen high up on the top of dead trees. In 

 manners and habits it resembles the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and 

 the cry is much the same. Nilsson says that they are seen generally 

 in families in the autumn and winter. This I cannot corroborate. I 

 never met, in our forest, in winter, more than two together, but if 

 you shot one its partner was never far off. They breed very commonly 

 in Smaland. It has not been identified in Denmark." It has occurred 

 accidentally in the Hebrides, and Gould figures and describes it in 

 his Birds of Great Britain. 



Salvadori (Fauna d'ltalia) writes of this bird, "Bonaparte is said to 

 have been the first to announce this Woodpecker among the Italian 

 species. It is very rare in Italy. When found it occurs in the alpine 

 groves, where it is stationary and nests. It has been especially 

 observed in the Tyi'olese Alps, but it is not difiicult to believe that 

 it may be found throughout the whole alpine region. Sometimes an 

 individual may be found wandering from its usual habitat. One was 

 killed some years ago in the groves of Castel Nuovo, in the valley 

 of Ciana in the Tuscan marshes. It is preserved in the Museum at 

 Pisa. Two other males I have seen in the collection of De Negri, of 

 Geneva, and both were taken in Liguria in the winter of 186-3. We 

 must not omit to state that P. leuconotus is said to be common in 

 Corsica, which was affirmed by Gene, and repeated to me by Cav: 

 Comba, who was with Gene in Corsica, and it is also referred to by 

 Malherbe, upon the authority of the Baron de Selys-Longchamps. It 

 is not creditable to science that we know scarcely anything about the 

 ornithology of Corsica, and it seems to me that the statement of Gene 

 requires confirmation, since it is very singular that it should exist in 

 Corsica, and not be found in the neighbouring Sardinia. This Wood- 

 pecker is common in Hungary, Silesia, Poland, and Scandinavia." 



VOL. IV. I 



