152 SCANSORES. 



The reversed toe is too long and the tail is much too long for the 

 genus Blythipicus or Lepocestes, as suggested by Dr. Stejneger 

 (Zeitsch. ges. Om. 1887, p. 172). I prefer to retain it in the genus 

 Picus, under the subgeneric term of Sapheopipo, as proposed by 

 Mr. Hargitt — a subgenus which may possibly have to be abandoned 

 when fuUy adult examples have been examined. 



134. PICTTS LEUCONOTUS. 

 (WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER.) 



Picus leuconotm, Bechstein, Naturg. Deutschl. ii. p. 1034 (1806). 



The White-backed Woodpecker is a large bird (wing from carpal 

 joint about 6 inches), and is easily distinguished from the other 

 Japanese species by the crimson on its under tail-coverts extending 

 also to the belly. 



Figures: Dresser, Birds of Europe, v. pi. 279 (typical form). 

 The White-backed Woodpecker is a resident in all the Japanese 

 Islands. The earliest record of its occurrence in Japan is that of an 

 example procured in Yezzo in October 1861 (Blakiston, Ibis, 1862, 

 p. 325). There are two examples in the Swinhoe collection from 

 South Yezzo (Swinhoe, Ibis, 1875, p. 451) ; and I have an example 

 collected by Mr. Henson at Hakodadi on the 13th of April. There 

 are eighteen examples in the Pryer collection from Yokohama. 



The range of the White-backed Woodpecker extends westwards 

 from Japan across Siberia into Europe ; but although it reaches 

 Norway, Germany, and Spain, this species is not known to have 

 occurred in the British Islands. 



The White-backed Woodpecker is subject to much climatic varia- 

 tion. The Arctic race ranges from Russia across Southern Siberia 

 to the mouth of the Amoor. The amount of white on the upper 

 parts, especially on the tertials, is at least double that on examples 

 of the typical form from Norway, and entitles it to rank as an ex- 

 cellent subspecies under the name of Picus leuconotus cirris. Dr. 

 Stejneger has separated the race found in Southern Japan under the 

 name of Dryobates subcirris (Stejneger, Proc. United States Nat. 

 Mus. 1886, p. 113). In the amount of white on the upper parts 

 they agree with examples from Yezzo and the Island of Askold in 

 being intermediate between the Arctic and the typical formj but 



