SHABPE'S GBJEEN WOODPEGKEB. 75 



to be in tliis case, as in several others, the dividing line between 

 the northern and southern resident avifauna. 



"These specimens, agreeing- amongst themselves, differ so strikingly 

 from both G. viridis and G. Vaillantii that there can be little doubt 

 of their belonging to a new and hitherto undescribed species, which 

 I propose to call Gecinus Sharpei, sp. nov., after my friend Mr. E,. 

 B. Shape, to whom the credit of discriminating it is entirely due." 



I have given the specific characters above. Mr. Saunders continues: — 



*'This species is principally distinguishable from G. viridis by the 

 grey face, and by the absence of the black streak over the eye in 

 both sexes. Minor points of difference are the brilliant crimson 

 moustache in the adult male, instead of lake on a black ground as 

 in G. vi?^idis, and the deep chrome yellow on the rump in both 

 sexes. In G. Vaillantii the moustache of the male is black, and 

 never red, according to Malherbe (op. cit.); and in the female the 

 crimson does not extend beyond the occiput, whereas in the present 

 species it pervades the whole of the crown." 



This bird affords a good example of slight, probably climatic 

 differences of plumage giving a bird the title of "being distinct." It 

 is only, however, a variety of the well-known Green Woodpecker, 

 which it replaces in Central and Southern Spain. It has no claim 

 whatever to distinct specific distinction. Into what it may be evolved 

 in course of time it is impossible to say. 



The eg§, Mr. Saunders says, is always smaller than that of G. mridis. 

 Its habits are, however, precisely the same. 



By the kindness of Lord Lilford I am able to figure the male 

 and female and ^^^ from my own collection. 



Figured by Dresser in his "Birds of Europe." 



