THE BIRDS OF TRAVANCORE. C57 



(150) Xanthol^ema h^matocephala. — The Crimson-breasted 



Barbet. 



Blanford, No. 1019; Jerdon, No. 197. 



The Coppersmith is very common throughout the low country and at 

 times may be found on the hills up to 1,500 feet elevation. " It breeds 

 at elevations of 500 to 1,500 feet, and I once obtained a couple of eggs 

 in March from a hole in a tree at 1,500 feet elevation, not far from 

 Courtalium. The eggs were quite white and averaged 1*0 X 'G6. — 



T. K Br 



(151) Xanthol^ma malabarica — The Crimson-throated Barbet. 

 Blanford, No. 1020 ; Jerdon, No. 918. 



Mr. F. W. Bourdillon writes of this bird : " This species is very 

 common throughout the low country, and during the hot weather ascends 

 the lower slopes of the hills. Its call, as Jerdon mentions, is similar to 

 that of the Crimson-breasted Barbet (A. hcematocephala), but the two are 

 easy to be distinguished from each other. " 



This is quite a mistaken description, and Mr. Bourdillon must have 

 been misled by hearing the notes of the Coppersmith. The Crimson- 

 throated Barbet is certainly a forest bird and is confined to the hills. 

 I have not met with it in the low country, and my collector, though 

 repeatedly sent to look for it, never secured a single specimen. 

 Mr. W. Ogilvie Grant informs me that there is no specimen in 

 the Hume collection in the British Museum sent by Mr. Bourdillon, 

 but there is one from the Cardamom Hills, sent by Mr. T. Elwes. 

 I should therefore describe it as a rare bird found only in forest on 

 the hills. 



Order ANISODACTYLI. 



Sub-order Coragle. 

 Family Coraciadce. 

 (152) Cora cias indica. — The Indian Roller. 

 Blanford, No. 1022 ; Jerdon, No. 123. 

 The Indian Roller is found only in the low country. It often haunts 

 a particular spot, but it is nowhere very common, except perhaps at 

 Cape Comorin, where in July 1901 there were a good number, and 

 again in the same locality in December of that year. It is not found in 

 forest nor on the hills. 



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