94 



from that species, the male having the moustachial stripe black instead of red, the crown much more 

 crimson, and the nape and lower sides of the neck orange or flame-yellow ; and the female, instead of 

 having the crown grey streaked with crimson as in G. sharpei, has only the nape crimson, and the 

 crown blackish grey. Like G. sharpei both sexes have the region round the eye and the face grey, 

 and not black as in G. viridis. 



This North-African representative of our common European Green Woodpecker is a very local 

 species, being met with only in North-west Africa, Algeria being its head quarters. Mr. 

 Taczanowski met with it in the province of Constantine, where, he states, though found almost 

 everywhere in the forests, it is nowhere numerous. Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt Drake observed it on 

 the Tetuan mountains; and Major Loche writes that "it is tolerably numerous in Algeria, 

 where it takes the place of the European G. viridis and G. canus, neither of which has yet 

 been met with in Algeria. It is most numerous in the cedar forests of Teniet-el-Had, Belezema, 

 Bathna, Ammi-Moussa, and the wooded portion of the Beni-Menasser country. It feeds on 

 larvae and insects, is very partial to ants, and may often be seen seeking for them and other 

 insects amongst the fallen leaves; it climbs with great facility, and moves head downwards as 

 easily as in the ordinary way." His description of the habits agrees closely with that I have 

 given of Gecinus viridis, which species, Canon Tristram also writes, it closely resembles in habits, 

 note, and mode of nidification. Loche states that the present species makes its nest in natural 

 holes of trees, and only when it does not find one convenient for the purposes of nidification 

 does it hack one out itself, and usually selects half-rotten trees, which are more easily penetrated. 

 The nest-hole is usually very deep ; and in it are deposited four or five pure white, glossy eggs, 

 measuring about 27 by 19 millimetres. 



The adult male figured and described is in the collection of Mr. E. Cavendish Taylor, and 

 the female in my own collection, both having been obtained in Algeria. 



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



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 5 ad. Algeria ( Verreaux) . 

 a, 6. Algeria, 1873 {E. C. T.). 



E Mus. E. C. Taylor. 



E Mus. 0. Salvin. 

 a, 5 . Kef Laks, Constantine, April 21st, 1857 (0. S.). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram, 

 a, $. Batna {Verreaux). 



