LIOPICUS, 305 



some servants' bouses, where it selected the hard oaken gate-post 

 of a wheat-field, immediately on a public road, along which servants 

 and cattle were passing and re-passing hourly. The hole was 

 bored within 2 or 3 inches of the summit of the post, which was 

 about 5 feet high ; the fine rotten chips within were strewed on 

 the bottom, and upon these four fleshy-white eggs were laid; these, 

 by cutting a small hole at the back, were taken out at a depth of 

 5 inches. When cleaned of the contents the fleshy tint was lost, 

 and the eggs became of an opaque white. Diameter 0-87 by 0-6 

 inch." 



The eggs of this species are of the usual somewhat lengthened 

 and pointed oval form, pure white and glossy, and very slightly 

 larger than those of D. mahrattensis. The eggs are slightly larger, 

 and as a rule a good deal narrower, than those of the Lesser 

 Spotted Woodpecker (D. minor) of Europe ; sometimes, however, 

 short oval varieties occur. 



I have very few eggs of this species now by me ; these vary in 

 length from 0-86 to 0-98 inch, and in breadth' from 0-64 to 073 

 inch. 



Liopicus mahrattensis (Lath.). The Yellow-fronted Pied 

 Woodpecker. 



Picus mahrattensis, Lath., Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 274 ; Hume. Rough 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 160. 



The Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker (to the best of my belief) 

 breeds throughout India in the plains and up to an elevation of 

 about 2500 feet. 



I myself have always found the eggs in March, but I have known 

 eggs taken in February and April. 



I do not think it has any choice of trees ; I have found its nest 

 in a dozen different kinds, but as a rule the stem or branch in which 

 it excavates its hole is partially decayed. 



The following one of many notes, recorded when I was at 

 Etawah, is all perhaps that I need say further about the nidifica- 

 tion of this species, except that the number of eggs is almost inva- 

 riably three : 



" On March the 30th took this bird sitting on three nearly 

 fresh, delicate, pyriform, alabaster-like eggs, which, when unblown, 

 were quite pinkish. The bird had made a hole on the underside of 

 a branch ; the hole was about 1/5 inch in diameter, and about 14 

 or 15 inches below the entrance the eggs were laid on the chips 

 of the wood made in excavating the hole. The branch, which was 

 only partially decayed, was about 10 out of the perpendicular, 

 and the tree a moderately-sized babool. Other babools were 

 sparingly scattered over the ground, and 200 yards off was a thick 

 mango grove, which one would have thought would have been 

 preferred." 



The late Captain Beavan said : " A female with three white 

 VOL. ii. 20 



