146 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



944. Psarisomus dalkousice. Long-tailed Broad-bill. I did 

 not observe it capturing insects on the wing, but I found on exa- 

 mination that it had eaten locusts and Coccidae. Jerd. B. I., I, 

 237. 



Feeds on insects which are sometimes captured on the wing. 

 F. I, III, 12. 



945. Calyptomena viridis. Green Broad-bill. Entirely on 

 fruit. F. I., HI, 13. 



The Broad-bills are mostly from Burma and the Malay Penin- 

 sular, extending to the Himalayas as far as Mussoorie. 



PICI. 



WOOD-PECKEES AND WRYNECKS. 



PicidcB. All Indian Picidce are insectivorous, a large propor- 

 tion of them feeding mainly, and some entirely on ants. F. I. 

 Ill, 16. 



Chiefly on insects and especially larvse, which they discover 

 by tapping on the trees, and when they find a likely spot they dig 

 vigorously into it. A few of the Wood-peckers feed habitually 

 on the ground on ants and other insects, and some (Piculets) 

 appear to hop about brushwood and fallen trees. Some of the 

 American Wood-peckers eat nuts and fruit, and even it is said 

 eggs. Jerd. B. I., I, 269. 



Pici feed on wood-boring insects and are therefore of great 

 use to the forester. S. M. F. Z. 



Wood-peckers extract the grubs and pupa3 of Hoplocerambyx 

 spinicornis from ' sal ' trees. S. Forest Bui. No. 2. 



Many form prey largely on ants. Others again devour a 

 large quantity of fruits, seeds, and .perhaps Indian corn. Omit- 

 ting, however, the sap-sucking propensities of the American spe- 

 cies, the harm done is outweighed by the good. E. B. C. N. H. 

 458. 



According to Uzel, wood-peckers eat Thysanoptera (Thrips) 

 under bark of trees. Sharp C. N. H., Insects. Part II, 530. 



