150 THE FOOD OP BIRDS IN INDIA. 



Stomachs examined contd. 



11-10-07. 301 Meranorplus bicolor. 

 16 Phidole malinsi ? 



1 Myllocerus sp. 

 11-10-07. 743 Meranoptus bicolor. 



3 Astycus lateralis. 



2 Hemiptera (heads). 

 12-12-08. 6 (Ecophylla smaragdina. 



9 Caffnponotus compr&ssus. 

 1 Remains of Opatrum sp. 

 1 Moth head. 



3 Hemiptera (scutella.) 

 1 Piece of bark. 



Summary. Of 3,921 insects taken by 16 birds, none are bene- 

 ficial, 96 are injurious and 3,825 neutral. Thirteen took injurious 

 insects, and all took neutral. 



One bird took a centipede, 2 Ficus fruit, 1 Ber buds, and 3 

 pieces of bark. One took a spider. 



This Wood-pecker occasionally feeds on the ground. By far 

 the largest portion of its food consists of ants. It may frequently 

 be seen hunting ants on Ber, and in consequence I have paid con- 

 siderable attention to this bird, in order to ascertain whether, by 

 hunting these ants, it may damage lac in any period of its growth. 

 Most of the ant-hunting is done on stems and thick boughs. I 

 have never seen it on a lac-infected part of a tree. It does not 

 feed on the lac-insect. It is said to be very partial to toddy palms 

 in Madras (B. N. H. S. J., XVI, 491) ; and it is possible that this 

 habit may be due- to the presence of Oryctes rhinoceros and Rhyn- 

 chophorus ferrugineus in these trees. 



987. Brachypternus eryihronotus. Ked-backed Wood-pecker. 

 Feeds largely on red ants. F. I., Ill, 61. ((Ecophylla smaragdina ?} 



988. Tiga javanensis. Common Golden-backed Three-toed 

 Wood-pecker. Feeds on caterpillars and pupae of the bee-hole 

 borer of the tesik-Duomitus ceramicus. S. M. F. Z. 



Picumnino3. Piculets. 



1001. Picumnus innominatus. Speckled Piculet. Various 

 insects and according to Mr. Thompson on eggs and larvae of 

 wood-boring beetles. F. I., Ill, 77. 



