2IO 



The Dwarf Barbet, on the contrary, is a very retiring- 

 bird, though it is only about half the size, and is not 

 nearly so conspicuously coloured as its larger relative, 

 being black above and yellovvish-whiLe below, with a 

 little pink on the face, and a small black beak sur- 

 rounded b}^ short bristles. 



WOODPECKERS are very common, but I am 

 unfortunately unable to even attempt the identifica- 

 tion of the species I have seen. Our two commonest 

 species differ consideral)ly in size; the smaller, whose 

 general colour is pale greenish-brown speckled 

 with dark brown, except on the nape, which is 

 crimson, being rather smaller than a Nuthatch, and 

 the larger bird being 7^ to 8 inches in length. The 

 general colour of the latter is above a mottling of grey 

 and olive-green, with a red crest and rump, the 

 feathers here and those of the upper tail-coverts being 

 soft, long, and pointed, with grey bases and crimson 

 ends ; below grey shading into pale olive towards the 

 vent ; tail-feathers stiff and pointed, brown above, 

 below brown tinged with olive ; the bill and feet are 

 dark lead-coloured, the iris dark brown. This bird 

 seems to get nearly as much of its food on the ground 

 as it does in trees, as it is frequently seen in small 

 parties in the fields, where old cornstalks remain after 

 harvest until they are burnt just before the next 

 sowing, eight months later; and here they search 

 diligently for insects, hopping about among the 

 fallen stalks and splitting them with their powerful 

 beaks, or climbing up those which are still standing. 

 Both the species I know, make a loud tapping noise 

 with their beaks on the trunks of trees, and in other 

 respects resemble the European Woodpeckers in 

 habits. 



PIGEONS AND DOVES (^ColumbidcB) we are 

 well provided with. First on the list come the lovely 

 Green Fruit- Pigeons ( Vi7iagd), as good to eat as they 



