[ i8 2 ] 
The /potted Indian Woodpecker. 
T H E Figure reprefents the Bird of its natural Bignefs. Albin in his third 
VoL of Birds , B. 21. has figur’d it, and fays, it is of the fame Bignefs as 
our Englijh Green Woodpecker , which is a great Miftake ; if he had compar’d it with 
our Greater Spotted Woodpecker , he had been Right. When a Bird is drawn of its 
natural Size, as Mr. Albin 's is, there is no need to compare it with any other to fix its 
Magnitude. 
The Bill is long, firaight, ridged along the upper Part, and of a dufky or 
blackifh Colour; the Crown of the Head, from the Bill backwards, to beyond 
the Eyes, is Black, fpotted with fmall white Spots j behind which, the Hinder- 
part of the Head is cover’d with long Scarlet-Feathers, which tend backwards, in 
Form of a Creft. The Sides of the Head beneath the Eyes are White } the Throat, 
from the Bill to the Middle of the Breafi:, is fpotted in a broken confufed Manner 
with large Spots of Black and White ; the Hinder-part of the Neck is Black ; on 
each Side of the Neck there paffes a white Line down as low as the Wings j the 
Beginning of the Back is of a yellow Colour; the lower Part and Rump are of a 
dull Green } the Belly, Thighs, and Covert-Feathers beneath the Tail, are White, 
fprinkled with Half-moon-like Spots, which are fixongefi: next the Breafi:, and be¬ 
come much fainter downwards. Some of the outermofi: Prime-Quills are Black, 
barred acrofs with four narrow Beds of White ; the Remainder of the Quills next 
the Back, are of a dull Green, as is the Row of Covert-Feathers above them ; the 
Baftard-Wing, or Coverts that fall on the Prime-Quills, are Black like them, with a 
Bar of White acrofs them} the lefier Covert-Feathers on the upper Part of the 
Wing, are of a dark Brown, or blackifh Colour, marked with very diftinft white 
Spots, in the Form of the Leaves of fome Trees. The green Covert-Feathers be¬ 
tween thefe dark Ones and the Quills, are fpotted with a lighter yellow Green. The 
Tail is Blackifh, with a little Caff of dull Green } the Feathers are fiiff and pointed, 
as in others of the Woodpecker-Kind. The Legs, Feet and Claws, are of a black 
or dufky Colour } the Bottoms of the Feet have a little of a Sandy-Cait} the Toes are 
placed, two backwards, and two forwards, on each Foot} its Claws or Nails are pretty 
flrong. 
Th is Bird was drawn from the Collection of the late Mr. Dandridge. It came 
from Bengal , and has never been defcribed but by Mr. Albin. Mr. Dandridge was 
•notwell fatisfied with the Draughts Amin had made of the Birds in his Collection, fo he 
defir’d me to take them all to my Houfe, and make Draughts of them at my Leifure, 
that I might publifh them fomething improved. I fhall omit giving the Colour of 
their Eyes, Albin having done that already, tho’ the Birds all came over dried to Mr. 
Dandridge , and confequently the Eyes of them were obfcured. 
•The 
V O L. IV. 
H 
