1837.] Description of three new species of Woodpecker. 109 



in adding it to this paper is (as already stated) to afford an object of 

 comparison with the kingly species which is first described under the 

 oriental imperial style of Sultaneus. 



And, now that I have exceeded the limits originally proposed, I 

 may as well add the description of another species forming a complete 

 link between the three and four- toed Piciancc. 



Genus Malacolophus ? 



Sub-genus ? 



Species new. Melanochrysos ; golden and black Woodpecker, nobis. 



Form. Bill 1| inches long, scarcely one-fifth longer than the 

 head, at base as high as broad, neither compressed nor depressed; 

 ridge arcuated and acute, but not carinated ; great lateral angles ob- 

 solete ; tips faintly cuneated. 



Nares, elliptic, void of corneous ledge above, more or less denuded 

 of plumes. Wings medial, to middle of tail : 1st quill, sub-bastard ; 

 2nd, long ; 4, 5, and 6, sub-equal, and longest. Tail, medial, equally 

 gradated throughout, straight, rather feeble ; tips of all its feathers 

 pointed, or evanescentlv forked : tarsi, longer than the antral outer 

 toe, which is conspicuously larger than the posteal : the inner, small 

 but perfect, and furnished with a perfect nail : grasp not oblique : 

 orbits nude : head with a full soft crest, more or less pointed at the 

 occiput : neck simple*. 



Color and size. Chin, throat, abdominal aspect of the neck and 

 the breast, black : neck, posteally, black : lores, cheeks and lateral 

 aspect of neck, white : ears, black, in a broad stripe from the eyes : 

 upper back and wings, golden yellow : shoulders, dusky : lower back, 

 tail-coverts above, and tail, black : wings internally, the same-: body 

 below, white : cap, in the males, bright sanguine ; in the females, 

 black, with white streaks : bill, slaty black : iris, brown : orbitar 

 skin, dusky green : legs, clearish green : talons, dusky : 1 1 1 to 1 2 inches 

 by 18 : A\ ounces. 



Remarks t This species in size, colors and characters, bears much 

 resemblance to the Picus Shorii of Gould's work, in which, however, 

 the fourth digit is nailless and obsolete, the rump, crimson, and the 

 neck and belly, as in our Sultaneus. 



I have other species serving to unite the 3 and 4-toed Wood- 

 peckers by an insensible gradation. These species are closely con- 

 nected with the well known Picus Viridis and Picus Canus of Europe. 



* The tips of the lesser quills offer no peculiarity of structure, either in this 

 or the preceding species. 



