164 BLACK- SPECKLED WOODPECKER. 
fusion. "Without troubling the reader -with a 
lengthened discussion on this subject, we should yet 
observe that we suspect this is probably the Picus 
nulicus of the Linnsean writers ; the figure they 
universally cite for that species is on the 667th plate 
of Buflbn, which certainly appears to us a tolerable 
representation of the bird now before us ; the only 
discrepancy seems to he in the ground colour of the 
under plumage, which in that is white, and in this 
of a pale yellowish cast. We strongly suspect, 
therefore, notwithstanding what Wagler has asserted 
on the error of Professor Lichtenstein, that the error 
lies with himself, and not with the learned and ac- 
complished professor at Berlin. We cannot speak 
decisively on this point, however, without seeing the 
Pic tigre of Le Vaillant ; and, therefore, as Cuvier’s 
specific name of punctatus has obtained currency, 
we adopt it, although we join with Lichtenstein in 
the belief that this is, in reality, the Picus nvhicus 
of the old authors. 
We place this bird under the present suh-genus, as 
an aberrant species, apparently leading to the more 
perfect types of this circle ; the lateral ridge of the 
hill is nearly as close to the culmen as in the sub- 
genus Brachylophm , which contains our green wood- 
pecker ; on the other hand, the two principal toes, 
as in the majority of this sub-genus, are equal. 
The predominant colour of the upper plumage is 
a sort of fulvous olive, with more buff than green ; 
the rvhole diversified with small diamond-shaped 
fulvous-white spots down the middle of the shaft, 
