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nearly to his P. gouldii, which I presume is from Shanghai, but are browner on the underparts, 

 and also have indications of the red spot on the breast. My example from Pekin is of the 

 bright under-tints of P. cabanisi with an equally bright red breast-spot ; but has more white on 

 the wings, and the almost white lateral rectrices of P. luciani. From a careful comparison of 

 the skins of this variable Woodpecker in my possession, I have come to the conclusion that they 

 are all certainly of one species ; for if we were to go on such nice specific distinctions as those 

 pointed out by M. Malherbe, every bird, even out of a number from the same locality, might be 

 regarded as a distinct species. In one of my Canton birds the secret of the very brown under- 

 plumage is developed ; it is a young male with the crown red. Hence I gather that the special 

 brown plumage in this species is a mark of the young, the red pectoral spot showing itself and 

 intensifying as the bird advances to maturity, while the underplumage at the same time 

 whitens. The white on the wings and tail is always less in the young individual, and widens 

 considerably with advancing age. No two specimens agree precisely in the size or distribution 

 of the white on the wings or the bands on the tail. The further north the locality whence the 

 birds are derived, the larger their sizes generally, and more conspicuous the white markings. 

 My Foochow specimens are larger than those from Canton and Whampoa, and have more white 

 on the tail ; while the bird from Pekin is as light on the underparts as P. major, though, being 

 adult, it carries the characteristic bright red pectoral spot. At the same time, being from a 

 northern locality, the white spots on the wings and the white bands on its tail are very largely 

 developed. Had M. Malherbe known the exact localities of the individuals he describes from, 

 and had he had a larger series of skins to examine, I do not think he would have advanced such 

 strong opinions as to the specific merits of the four species he has introduced into his excellent 

 work." Again, Mr. Swinhoe remarks further on in the same volume of the ' Proceedings ' from 

 which the above extracts are taken : — " Paces of this variable bird are found throughout China, 

 from Canton to Pekin. The further north they extend, the whiter and more spotted they 

 become, until the Amoorland is reached, where Von Schrenk reports the form identical with 

 P. major of Europe." The remarks of Mr. Swinhoe regarding the dark plumage of the Chinese 

 Woodpeckers being the young are interesting, as oftentimes in Europe specimens are met with 

 having the forehead and underparts very deeply coloured ; but this we have always considered to 

 be due to a stain. 



We have endeavoured to show in the foregoing paragraphs the present state of our know- 

 ledge respecting the various races or subspecies of Pious major. It now remains to give an 

 account of the species in Europe itself. Its distribution in Great Britain during the breeding- 

 season is thus given by Mr. A. G. More : — " Not in Ireland. Breeds in small numbers in nearly 

 all the southern and midland counties of England, becoming rarer northwards. Very scarce in 

 Scotland, though Macgillivray describes it as formerly not uncommon near Dunkeld, and 

 mentions Loch Ness, the Spey, and Braemar as localities where it is not unfrequent. The bird 

 has been observed by Mr. Selby on the banks of the Dee and Spey. Mr. T. Edward marks the 

 Great Spotted Woodpecker as resting occasionally in Aberdeenshire ; and in the ' Natural 

 History of Dee-side ' it is described as resident in the woods, but very rare. Mr. Dunbar 

 considers that it breeds regularly in the woods at Castle Grant, in East Inverness ; and he tells 

 me that the bird has been observed also in Ross-shire." In Scotland it has more recently been 



