GECININ^. 291 



Bill slaty-greenish, yellow beneath; legs dull green; irides 

 reddish -brown ; 



Length 9 inches ; wing 4| ; tail S/^ ; bill at front y^^j ; foot 2|. 



The female has the forehead and head green, and wants the red 

 cheek-stripe. 



This Woodpecker may readily be distinguished from the last, 

 which it greatly resembles, by the whole occiput being crimson 

 in the male ; whilst in chluroloplais the sides of the occiput only 

 are crimson, and the yellow feathers of the nape are more 

 developed in that than in the Southern species. 



It is found in the forests of Malabar, more especially far South, 

 as in Travancore, and also in Ceylon. I have not seen it from the 

 Eastern Ghauts, nor from Central India. It frequents thick forest- 

 jungle. Mr. Layard states that he has seen it seeking its food on 

 the ground, in dried cow-dung. 



Other species of this group are C. jnentalis, T., from S. Burmah 

 and Malayana; C. miniata, Forster ( Malaccensis, Lath.,) from 

 Malacca; C. puniceus, Horsf., from S. Burmah and Malayana. 

 These are placed by Horsfield under Venilkt, but I think that 

 they range better with ChrysopMegma. Bonaparte classes them 

 as a separate section {Brachylopiius, Strickl.,) of Venilia; but 

 miniata is a true Clirysophlegma. 



Gen. Venilia, Bonap. 



Char. — Bill long, nearly straight, much of the same width 

 throughout, with a distinct lateral ridge from its base, extend- 

 ing two-thirds of the length, and bending down to the margin ; 

 culmen sharply ridged ; wings long ; tail rather short ; tlie centrals 

 pointed, and the laterals rounded and soft ; feet large ; posterior 

 (outer) toe about equal to the medial ; inner toe short ; claws 

 strongly curved. This is a remarkably plumaged genus ; and were 

 it not for its thick neck, I would have placed it witli the Campe- 

 philince, with the members of which it agrees in the form of its bill, 

 and large feet. 



170. Venilia pyrrhotis, Hodgs. 



Picus, apud Hodgson, J. A. S., VI., 108 — Blytu, Cat. 271 — 

 Horsf., Cat. 072—rhing-pho, Lepch. 



