308 piciD^. 



lyngipicus gymnophthalraus (Blyth). The Soulhcni Pkj'^i'J 

 Woodj^ecker, 

 Yungipicus gymnophtlialmus {Blyth), Hume, Cat. no. 104 bis. 



Mr. H. Parker writes from Ceylon : — 



''Feb. (Tissa), July {ViL). A 'nest of this Pigmy Woodpecker 

 was in a hole 10 feet from the ground in a dead branch 3 inches 

 thick. The entrance was circular and 1 inch in diameter. The 

 cavity was excavated down the branch for 8 inches, and was 

 2 inches by 2| inches wide. Two eggs were lying on the bare 

 wood. A second nest contained three eggs ; they are very blunt 

 ovals, and are pinkish when quite fresh, but become pure white 

 when cleaned out. Average size 0-G2 inch by 0-53 inch." 



Colonel Legge writes, in his work on tlie Birds of Ceylon : — 

 " In the Western Province this Woodpecker breeds in February 

 and March, nesting in holes in small branches. A nest which Mr. 

 Mac Vicar found in the Colombo District, near Pore, M'as in a dead 

 branch with an opening leading to it of about 1 inch in diameter. 

 There were three young birds in it, just hatched, and the egg- 

 fragments were shining white." 



Micropternus phseoceps, Blyth. The liufous Woodpcclcer. 



Microptemus phaioceps, Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 294 ; Hume, Cut. 

 no. 178. 



From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes: — "1 have taken the eggs of 

 this Woodpecker on four occasions — twice in April and twice in 

 ]\/[ay — and each time out of the middle of an ants' nest. One of 

 the ants' nests was suspended to a bamboo growing in dense jungle 

 at about 2000 feet ; the other three were hanging from branches 

 of small trees growing in the narrow strips of jungle left uncut 

 along the sides of nullahs in cultivated places. They were all 

 within to 10 feet of the ground. These ants' nests, which are of 

 a globular shape, somewhat resembling the nest built by one of the 

 European wasps ( Vespa hritannica, I think), are exceedingly conniion 

 in Sikhim up to 35U0 feet, and uncommonly comfortable-looking 

 breeding-quarters they make. Whether the presence of the AVood- 

 pecker causes the ants to desert their nest, or whether the birds 

 take possession of deserted nests only, I am at present unable to 

 say. Certainly they are most inveterate enemies of this particular 

 species of ant, and appear to feed almost exclusively on it. Those 

 I have dissected had their stomachs crammed with them. The 

 bird has a peculiar persistent smell about it, which may either be 

 caused by its peculiar diet or it may arise from a secretion provided 

 by nature to protect it from being bitten by the ants and to force 

 them to vacate their nest when the bird comes to take ])Ossession. 

 The first nest I found contained but one egg, probably laid that 



