108 Description of three new species of Woodpecker. [Feb. 



structure of their wings, which also assimilates them with several of 

 the smaller species of Woodpeckers. Whether they ought to be 

 ranged under the genus Picummus of Temminck, I have no means of 

 ascertaining. I leave my proposed new genus or sub-genus to the 

 discretion of the skilful, who have access to the libraries and museums 

 of Europe. 



Pician^e*. 



Sub-genus Picus, Swainson. Species new. Pyrrhotis ; crimson- 

 eared, nobis. 



Form. Bill two inches long, a third longer than the head : ex- 

 tremely powerful and hard throughout : at base higher than broad : 

 the ridges sharp and straight : the sides strongly angulated : the tips 

 perfectly wedged : great lateral angle of the maxilla extending cen- 

 trally three-fourths to the tip, where it is taken up by a single cuneat- 

 ing angle : lower mandible not angulated like the upper in its body, 

 but similarly so towards its cuneate point : nares and head as in Sul- 

 taneus, but the latter not crested : neck neither elongated nor slender ; 

 void of crest : tarsi sub-equal to the anteal outer toe, which is rather 

 larger than, or equal to, the posteal one : grasp rather oblique, the 

 posteal toes being directed obliquely outwards, but incapable of rever- 

 sion to the front : talons powerful, but only sub-angulated beneath : 

 wings medial, reaching to middle of tail, gradated and formed, as in 

 Sultaneus : tail rather short, very moderately wedged ; in structure 

 similar to that of Sultaneus : orbits nude. 



Color and size. Wings, lower back, and tail, dark cinnamoneous 

 v or chesnut red, transversely banded with black throughout : head, 

 neck, and upper back, brown, merged more or less in dark vinous 

 red ; the forehead and chin paler, and greyish : the breast and body 

 below, black brown, with narrow chesnut bars on the thigh and tail- 

 coverts : behind each ear a brilliant crimson spot : bill, bright yel- 

 low : orbitar skin, dusky green : iris, brown : legs, dark slaty, smeared 

 with green or yellow: nails, dusky horn: sexes alike: 12 inches 

 long by 1 8 wide ; and 5 to 6 oz. in weight. 



Remark. Though I have ranged this bird under Swainson's sub- 

 genus Picus, the curious reader will observe that it does not wholly 

 answer the definition of the group. It belongs, in fact, by its bill to 

 Picus-*— by its feet to Chrysoptilus : and, strictly speaking, stands 

 midway between the two sub-genera. The two exterior toes are, 

 as nearly as may be, equal ; but the bill is neither depressed nor are 

 the great lateral angles of the maxilla unequal. My principal motive 



* See the note on Sultaneus for the cause of this addendum. 



