306 ZOOLOOT. 



is spotted as in Eiippell's figure. In one instance I kUled 

 three birds out of four which were together, and doubt- 

 less belonged to one family. Of these, two had the crown 

 spotted, one having a grey, the other a pink iris ; the 

 third had the crown unspotted and a grey iris. 



This Woodpecker was only met with between 3,000 

 and 6,000 feet above the sea in the pass leading to 

 Senaf^, and again, to the north, in the Lebka and 

 Anseba valleys. I never saw any Woodpecker on the 

 highlands. In July, on the Anseba, this was the only 

 species seen. It was abundant in the thickets along the 

 banks of the stream. The stomach in some birds which 

 I shot was fiUed with the ova of insects. 



32. Picus {Dendrohates) Hemprichii, Ehr. 



Picus Semprichii, Ehrenberg, Symb. Phys. 



Dendrohates Semprichii, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 88, t. 35. 



Picus abyssi/nicus, Ferret et Gal. No. 40. 



P. Hemprichii, Lefebvre, p. 135. 



Dendropicus Semprichii, Brehm, Habesch, No. 113. 



This bird keeps to a lower level than the last species, 

 but is certainly rare, and in the hot season, I think, 

 entirely wanting in the plains near the sea, where how- 

 ever Brehm records having met with it in the month of 

 Aprd.^ I met with it near Undul Wells, in the pass 

 below Senaf^, and again in the Lebka vaUey at an ele- 

 vation of from about 3,000 to 4,000 feet. 



' At the time of the spring rains many birds appear to migrate from 

 the mountains to the plains of Samhar, which are not found 'there at 

 other times. 



