HORSFIELD^S GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. 27 
Subfamily PICIN^. 
Genus THEIPONAX, Cab, et Hein. 
423. THRIPONAX JAVENSIS. 
HORSFIELD^S GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. 
Picus javensis, Horsf. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 175. Picus leucogaster, Reimo. 
et Temm., Wagler, Syst. Av., Picus, sp. 7 ; Te^nm. PI. Col. 501 ; Sundev. Consp. 
Av. Pic. p. 9. Dryopicus leucogaster, Malh. Man. Pic. i. p. 47, pi. xiii. 
fig. 4-6. Hemilophus javensis, Wakl Ibis, 1871^ p. 164. Thriponax ja- 
vensis, Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 52 ; Hume, S. F. iii. p. 67 ; Wald. Trans. Zool. 
Soc. ix. p. 146 ; BI. B. Burin, p. 75 ; Hume Sf Dav. S. F. vi. p. 135 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 87. 
Description. — Male. The forehead, crown^ nape, occipital crest and a 
large patch on each side of the base of the lower mandible scarlet ; abdo- 
men, vent and sides of the body yellowish white ; remainder of the plumage 
black ; the throat and fore neck speckled, the feathers of the flanks near 
the thighs margined, with white ; the inner webs of the quills with a patch 
of white at their bases. 
The female difiers in wanting the scarlet patches at the base of the lower 
mandible, and in having the forehead and anterior half of the crown 
black. 
Legs and feet pale plumbeous to leaden blue ; iris creamy white, creamy 
yellow, clear yellow ; orbital skin very dark plumbeous ; bill black ; lower 
mandible plumbeous blue to dusky plumbeous. (Davison.) 
Length about 17 inches, tail 7*5, wing 9, tarsus 1-3, bill from gape 2*4. 
The female is of the same size. 
Horsfield^s Great Black Woodpecker was procured by Mr. Davison in 
the extreme south of Tenasserim, at Laynah, Bankasoon and Malewoon ; 
and Mr. Blyth records it from Mergui, much further north. 
It occurs in the Malay peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the 
Philippine Islands. 
This Woodpecker afi'ects tree-jungle and old clearings, and does not 
appear to be found in the thicker forests. 
The notes of all the Woodpeckers are harsh and loud, and they are all 
more or less of the same character. A practised field-naturalist can in 
most cases recognize the Woodpeckers by their calls ; but it is impossible 
to describe them in writing, and consequently nothing further will be said 
about their notes in this work. 
The same may be said of their habits ; they all climb trees, and feed 
