36 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



portions distinctly barred whitish ; feathers of lores, round eyes, 

 ear-coverts and sides of neck greyish -white with black edgings ; 

 moustachial stripe shorter than in adult, feathers of anterior 

 portion black with greyish -white tips and those of posterior portion 

 with small crimson tips ; chin and throat greyish -white, feathers 

 with narrow black fringes ; rest of under-parts greyish -white 

 tinged pale green and barred brown -black ; tail as adult but 

 pale bars rather more distinct ; primaries with outer webs greyer 

 and tooth -like marks more prominent, secondaries paler green and 

 with obsolete pale bars on outer webs ; wing-coverts with pale 

 spots or bars as mantle. Female. — -As male but with feathers of 

 moustachial stripe all with greyish -white tips and no crimson. 



First winter. — -As adults. The juvenile plumage is completely 

 (including wings and tail) moulted Aug. -No v. 



Measurements and structure. — (J wing 157-165 mm., tail 100- 

 104, tarsus 26-32, bill from skull 42-48 (30 British measured). 

 $ wing 159-168, bill 42-48. Primaries : 1st 1-8 mm. longer than 

 longest primary-covert, in juvenile 15-20 longer, 4th and 5th 

 longest but not always quite equal, 2nd 26-33 shorter, 3rd 4-6 

 shorter, 6th 2-6 shorter ; 3rd to 7th emarginated outer webs. 

 Secondaries between 10th and 8th primaries, tips rounded. Tail 

 graduated, 12 feathers, 4 inner pairs very stiff and strong but 

 elastic, tips sharply pointed and slightly bifurcated, penultimate 

 pair softer and tip more rounded, outermost pair very small hidden 

 by tail-coverts, soft and tip rounded. Toes : 1st and 4th directed 

 backwards, 2nd and 3rd forwards, 1st toe very short, 2nd longer 

 and joined at base to 3rd which is much longer and about equal to 

 4th ; claws large, much curved and very strong (see fig., vol. 1, 

 p. 4). Bill very strong, straight and pointed, culmen ridged and 

 compressed. Nostrils covered by bristle-like feathers. 



Soft parts. — Bill greyish -black, base of lower mandible yellowish- 

 olive ; legs and feet greyish-olive ; iris white. 



Characters and allied forms. — P. v. viridis (Scandinavia, 

 Prussia, Russia) has longer wing and bill ; P. v. pronus (Italy) has 

 rather finer bill ; P. v. innominatus (south and west Persia) is 

 considerably paler ; P. v. sharpei (southern Spain and Portugal) 

 has darkish grey over and under eye and ear-coverts and unbarred 

 under tail-coverts ; other forms (P. v. karelini, north Persia, 

 P. v. saundersi, Caucasus, P. v. dofleini, Macedonia, Greece, 

 P. v. romanice, Rumania) have been separated on slight differences 

 of size and colour. Green colour and large size distinguish it from 

 other British Woodpeckers. 



Field -characters. — Loud, laughing cries, " pleu, pleu, pleu '* 

 and " ha, ha, ha," are unmistakable, as is coloration, dark green 

 with yellow rump and crimson crown. Haunts woodlands and 

 open country if well timbered. Is less arboreal than other Wood- 



