63 



ii 



appear to go to nest late ; and I have always obtained the eggs out of a hole in a small dead fir 

 or aspen. The number is usually five, sometimes six. The collector should be very careful in 

 the identification of the eggs of all the Woodpeckers. The egg of the Wryneck is doubtless 

 often substituted for that of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker ; but on placing two genuine fresh 

 eggs side by side, the difference may be easily detected ; for the egg of the Wryneck has a more 

 elongated form, and the white colour, although perhaps purer, has not so much of that beautiful 

 shiny gloss which characterizes the eggs of all the Woodpeckers." On the other hand, writes 

 Mr. Gould : — " Some persons have stated that the eggs of this bird resemble the Wryneck's ; but 

 a comparison of the blown specimens will at once show that they are very different — those of the 

 Wryneck being of a dull opaque chalky white, while those of the Woodpecker are so transparent 

 that when placed on pink wool the colour is plainly visible through them ; the surface, too, is 

 glossy, and approximates in appearance to those of the Kingfisher, Roller, and Bee-eater." 



The figure of the male in the Plate is from a specimen procured by Dresser in Finland, the 

 female being from Sweden ; the hinder figure represents a female from Algeria, the P. leclouci of 

 Malherbe, which we have figured in order to show that there is no difference in the species : this 

 bird has been lent us by Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun. We have described Swedish specimens — the 

 male in Lord Walden's collection, and the female in our own. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 



a, d. Hertuala, Wyburg, Finland, June 30th, 1856 (H. E. Dresser), b. Sagersta, Sweden, July 17th, 1871. 

 c, d, ?. Stockholm, October 2nd, 1870, and January 12th, 1871. e,f, g, h. Wermland, October 1870, 

 and December 1871. i,j, <S , 2- iEtolia, January 24th and 28th, 1869 {Dr. Kriiper). k, 2- Turkey, 

 October 16th, 1869 (T. Robson). 



E Mus. W. Schluter. 

 a, b. Mahren. 



E Mus. Lord Walden. 

 a, ?. Cookham, Berks, May 1865 (W. Briggs). b. Sweden (H. Wheelwright). 



E Mus. J. H. Gurney, jun. 



a, b, d, 2- Taunton, Somerset, April 27th, 1868 (/. Gatcombe). c. Blida, Algeria, February 14th, 1870 

 (/. H. G.). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram, 

 a, b, d, ?. Stafford, 1849. 



E Mus. Lord Lilford. 

 a,b,i,2- Aranjuez, April 26th, 1865 (L.). 



E Mus. J. Gould. 



a, 6 pull. Formosa, Cookham, Berks, June 9th, 1862 (W. Briggs). b, c, J, ?. Bashkiria, October 14th and 

 November 6th, 1851 (P. kamtschatkensis) . 



5b 



