ACMONORHYNCHUS. 381 



919. Dicseum erythrorhynchus. Tickell's Flower-Becker. 



Certhia erythrorhynclios, Lath. Ind. Orn. \, p. 299 (1700). 

 Nectarinia minima, Tickell, J. A. S. B. ii, p. 577 (1833). 

 DicaeuiH tickellise, Myth, J. A. 8. B. xii, p. 983 (1843). 

 Dicseum minimum (Tick.), Blyth, Cat. p. 227; Horsf. fy M. Cat, ii, 



p. 750; Jercl. B. 1. i, p. 374 ; Hume, N. fy E. p. 155 ; Leyye, Birds 



Ceyl. p. 574. 

 Dicseum erythrorhynchus {Lath.), Hume, Cat. no. 238; Oates, B. B. 



i. p. 334 ; Barnes, Birds Bum. p. 138 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 48 ; 



Oates in Hume's N. Sf E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 274. 



Su ny t i-pi v-pho, Lepch . 



Coloration. Upper plumage ashy olive, the feathers of the crown 

 with dark centres ; tail dark brown ; wings and coverts brown, 

 edged with ashy olive ; sides of the head and lower plumage buffy 

 white. 



Iris brown ; legs and feet bluish plumbeous ; bill pale livid 

 fleshy, dusky brown on the culmen towards the tip of the upper 

 mandible (Butler). 



Length 3-2 ; tail 1 ; wing 1*8 ; tarsus '5 ; bill from gape "5. 



Distribution. Occurs over the greater part of the peninsula of 

 India, from the Himalayas to Ceylon. Its western limits are 

 difficult to define for want of information. It is abundant in 

 South Guzerat, and I have seen specimens procured at Dehra and 

 at Dharmsala, but none from intermediate localities. It probably 

 follows the margin of the arid region of liajputana, keeping well 

 outside it. To the east it ranges along the foot of the Himalayas 

 to Dibrugarh, and it has been procured in the Griiro hills. Blyth 

 records it from Arrakan and Tenasserim, and in the latter divison 

 Bingham, as quoted by Hume, once obtained a specimen. 



Habits, Sfc. Breeds in March, April, and May, constructing a 

 small nest about 3 inches long, which is suspended from the 

 extremity of a twig on a tree. The nest is made of fine vegetable 

 fibres and down and generally well concealed under some drooping 

 leaves. The eggs, usually two in number, are glossless white and 

 measure "58 by *41. 



Genus ACMONORHYNCHUS, n. gen. 



I propose this genus for the reception of a remarkable Mower- 

 pecker which is found only in Ceylon and which has hitherto been 

 placed either in Prionocldlus or in Paeliyylossa. It differs from 

 both these genera in possessing only nine primaries. From 

 Dicceum it may be recognized by its very large, coarse bill, and 

 from Pi)>risoma by its rounded tail and the numerous hairs which 

 cover the nostrils. 



In Acmonorhynclius the sexes differ and the young bird resembles 

 the female. Its habits are those of the family, but nothing is 

 known about its nidification. 



