144 
WHITE-RUM RED WOODRECKER. 
fairly enter a verdict of “not guilty” on rliis count. 
The White-rumped Woodpecker bnilds, like its con- 
geners, in the holes of trees, particularly oaks. It 
lays four or five clear white shining eggs. 
Although I have specimens kindly sent me by i\[r. 
Wheelwright, I will let that gentleman speak for 
himself, as his descrijition is drawn up from birds 
recently killed. Male; length ten inches and three 
quarters; expanse of wing seventeen Inches; tail be- 
yond the wings. Head above, carmine red; forehead 
white, with a brown tinge. Around, and at the back 
of the eyes, a large white spot, and another below 
on the sides of the neck; throat white. From the 
under mandible a black streak extends backwards 
under the eyes, and becoming broader at the back of 
the ears, passes doAvn the sides of the throat to the 
breast. Breast white, with a greenish yellow tinge, 
and having, as well as the flanks, longitudinal streaks 
of black; belly and under tail coverts red. Neck 
above, top of back, and lesser wing coverts glossy 
black; the middle and lower part of back white; 
outer half of greater wing coverts white ; the secon- 
daries transversely barred with black and white, 
which arises from a series of white round spots, placed 
on the edges of each web at regular intervals, a sim- 
ilar effect being produced by the same means on the 
primaries, giving a barred appearance to the whole 
wing when closed. The first primary is about the 
same length as the sixth, and both are much shorter 
than the intervening four. Upper tail feathers and 
coverts coal black; the under ones cream-colour, bar- 
red with black, and becoming rufous at the tip. Iris 
nut brown ; beak horn blue ; legs lead grey. 
'The female has the head glossy black above; fore- 
