PIED WOODPECKER. 



PICUS MAJOR, Linn. 



Mr. J. G. Keulemans has furnished me with the 

 accompanying Plate, showing the change of colour in 

 the feathers of the head in both sexes of this species : 

 the original drawings were taken from a pair of living 

 birds in his possession, and he has very obligingly 

 supplied me with the following explanatory refer- 

 ences : — 



Illustrations of changes of colour in the feathers of head in 

 both sexes. 



Fig. 1. Type of nestling plumage. 



Fig. 1 A. Type of young bird ( ) prior to the first indications 

 o£ change. (Sketched from life on Nov. 5.) 



Fig. 2. Young female of the same age (five months). 

 (Sketched on Nov. 5.) 



Fig. 3. The same individual thirty-seven days after; repre- 

 senting type of adult female. (Sketched Dec. 12.) 



Fig. 4. Young male (same individual as represented iu 

 fig. 1a) at the age of six months and five days. 

 (Sketched Dec. 12.) 



Fig. 5. The same individual at the age of about ten months. 

 (Sketched April 24.) 



Note. — The change of colour in the plumage of the head 

 first showed itself in the female. In August I noticed that 

 several black feathers had made their appearance amongst 



