60 LILFOED'S WOODPECKEB. 



ZYGODACTYLI. 



Famili/ PICIBjJjJ. fBonajmrte.J 



Genus Picus. fLinnceus.J 



LILFORD'S WOODPECKER. 



Picus Lilfordi. 

 Picus Lilfordi, Dresser; B. of E. 



Specific Characters. — Top of the head a rich crimson, whereas that of P. 

 leiiconotus is scarlet. Those parts which are white in the latter are yellowish 

 in the present species. Lower back and rump barred with black and white. 



This bird, whicli has been erected into a species by Mr. Dresser, 

 is very similar to its congener the White-rumped Woodpecker, but 

 I think they are sufficiently distinct to require a separate notice. 



This bird was discovered by Lord Lilford, a most zealous naturalist, 

 to whom I beg to offer my extreme thanks for his great kindness in 

 assisting me with specimens for this work. I have the pleasure of 

 figuring the identical bird from which the species was determined, 

 marked "Valley of Viana, Epirus, March 5, 1857." 



Lord Lilford remarks of this bird, in Dresser's "Birds of Europe:" — 

 "I met with this species in the high woods in the Valley of Viana, 

 near Butrinto, in Epirus, in the winter of 1857. It is not uncommon 

 there, but very difficult to approach. The note of this bird at that 

 season very much resembles that of Picus tnajor — a loud single "twit," 

 repeated at short intervals. I never heard it produce the jarring noise 

 so often heard from the greater and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers." 



According to Lindermayer it is rare in Greece. Dr. Kriiper says, 

 "it is more common on Mount Olympus than anywhere else, but is 

 found both on the mountains and plains of Greece, being occasionally 

 met with at Lake Venchori^ and on Mount Parnassus." 



