THE GREEN WOODPECKERS. 
5 
Europe, and its range 
^^nchuria and Corea. 
extends across Southern Siberia to 
the green woodpeckers, genus gecinus. 
Gecinus, Boie, Isis, 1831, p. 542. 
Type, G. viridis (Linn.). 
^'Ehis genus constitutes a familiar Old World type of Wood- 
pecker, comprising seventeen species, all greatly resembling 
^ch other in appearance. The best-known is our European 
ird, Q_ which is represented in Spain by Sharpe's 
reen Woodpecker {G. sharpii), and in North-east Africa by 
s-ulant’s Green Woodpecker {G. vaillanti), while in the differ- 
parts of Europe and Asia other species are distributed ; 
everal being inhabitants of the Indian Region as far south as 
'Sumatra and Java. 
In the genus Gecinus the feathering of the neck is full (in 
|any species, called the “Narrow-necked ” Woodpeckers, the 
P uuiage of the neck is very scanty), the opening of the nostrils 
t with close-set feathers or bristles, the outer anterior 
e IS about equal in length to the outer posterior toe, which, 
lo length to the tarsus. The wing is moderately 
and the tail is composed of strong and spiny feathers, 
ov^ one on each side being so short that it is often 
„ as it is hidden by the under tail-coverts ; this is 
and^ h lEe^ “ dwarf ” tail-feather. The bill is nearly straight, 
■R.v 1 ^ distinct ridge in the culmen (cf. Hargitt, Cat. 
®"^dsBrit.Mus.xviii.p. 3). 
the green woodpecker, gecinus viridis. 
{Plate XXXII). 
Viridis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 175 (1766); Macg. Br. B. iii. p. 
.91 (1840). 
PlCUS • 
Viridis, Dresser, B. Eur. v. p. 77, pi, 285 (1871)- 
^ewton, ed. Yarr. Br. B. ii. p. 457 (1881) ; B. O. U. List 
P- 79 (*883); Seebohm, Br. B. ii. p. 364 (1884); 
funders, _ Man. p. 263 (1889); Hargitt, Cat. B. Brit. 
/ f^tii. p. 36 (1890) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. pt. xvi. 
\ 1 ^ 9 ^). 
Male — General colour above uniform yellowish-olive ; 
