DAYALS, ETC. 127 



Both the scarlet-backed and TickelTs flower- 

 peckers, Dicceum cruentatum and D. erythrorhyncus? 

 are frequent visitors of the suburban gardens of 

 Calcutta. Individuals of the former species can 

 hardly fail to attract notice, owing to the wonderfully 

 brilliant colouring of their plumage, but their little 

 relatives, although fairly abundant throughout the 

 whole course of the year, are apt to be overlooked 

 in consequence of their extremely small size and 

 sober colouring. They are indeed ludicrously small, 

 and make even such pigmies as common honey- 

 suckers, with whom they are often associated, 

 look quite considerable fowls. They come in in 

 large numbers during the hot weather in order to 

 take advantage of the abundance of flowering shrubs 

 and trees that are then in full bloom. The beauti- 

 ful vermilion spikes of blossom that cover the trees 

 of Sterculia colorata seem to be special favourites 

 with them, and the contrast between the tints of the 

 little brown and olive birds and the flaming masses 

 of bloom is very effective. Whilst travelling about 

 among the flowers they keep up a continuous low 

 chirping, and every now and then call aloud, 

 " Chew hu, chew hu, etc," in quite disproportionately 

 vehement notes, that are probably intended to 

 announce their presence to their comrades. When 

 seen at close quarters their most remarkable features 

 are their short, broad bills, which have a beautifully 

 rosy tint in young birds. 



1 They are both quite curiously small birds, the second species being 

 much smaller than a wren. 



