BRACHYPTERNUS. 439 



with black. The female has the whole head and nape black, the feathers with 

 oval or elongate, larger or smaller white spots ; back dull crimson. Bill dark 

 brown ; irides hazel ; eyelids plumbeous ; legs greenish. 



Length. 1 1-5 to 12 inches; tail 4 to 4- 2 ; wing 5-8 to 6 ; bill from gape 1*5. 



Hab. Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Cochin -China, 

 and Siam ; also the whole range of the Himalayas, extending into Assam and 

 the Burmese Countries (Pegu and Arracan). In South and Central India it 

 is also common. Jerdon got it in the jungles of Malabar. In Bangalore and 

 Travancore it has also been got, and also on the Neilgherries. Gates says he 

 found a nest in Pegu in May in a hole of a tree with three eggs. 



Gen. Brachypternus. Strickl. 



Bill distinctly curved ; lateral ridge absent; nostrils apert ; tail cuneate. 

 Hind toe and claw minute. 



1043. Brachypternus auranti^s (Linn.), Maih., Mon. Pic. \\. 



p. 69, rigs. 56 ; Jerd., B. Ind. I. p. 295, No. 180; Hume, Nests and Eggs 

 bid. B. p. 126; Str. F. I. p. 171 ; Murray, Hdbk. Zool, fyc., Sind, p. 131 ; 

 id., Vert. Zool. Sind p. 114. Brachypternus dilutus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. 

 iv. p. 550 ; Jerd., B. Ind. I. p. 297, No. 182 ; Str. F.i. p. 171 ; Murray, 

 Hdbk. Zool., fyc., Sind, p. 131 ; id., Vert. Zool. Sind p. 114. The GOLDEN- 

 BACKED WOODPECKER. 



Adult Male. Head and crest bright crimson; hind neck, lower back, 

 upper tail coverts and tail black ; middle of the back black, mixed with 

 greenish yellow ; upper back and scapulars rich golden yellow ; wing coverts 

 black, changing to greenish yellow, the feathers white-spotted ; primaries 

 dusky brown, spotted white on their outer and inner webs ; the secondaries 

 and tertiaries greenish yellow on their outer webs, dusky on their inner webs, 

 and also spotted white. Cheeks, sides of the neck, and a stripe from the 

 nostrils to the eyes, white ; a dusky stripe through the eyes to, and including 

 the ear coverts ; chin, throat, sides of the face below the white cheek patch, 

 neck and entire under parts striated black and white, the striations less distinct 

 on the lower abdomen, vent and under tail coverts. Flanks and tibial plumes 

 white, the feathers with black bars. The female has the head black with 

 small white spots on the crown, and a small tuft of crimson behind ; bill 

 black ; irides reddish known ; feet dusky green. 



Lengt/t.~io-$ to 12 inches ; wing 5-5 to 575 ; tail 4 ; bill at front 1-25. 



Hab. Throughout the greater part of India to the foot of the Himalayas, 

 Cashmere, Nepaul and Ceylon. Occurs also in the Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, 

 Kelat and Afghanistan. Breeds all over the plains of India during April, 

 May, June and July, in holes in mango, siris, or other soft- wooded trees, 

 which they excavate themselves. There is no nest except the fine chips 

 which fall in the act of boring, on which the eggs, generally three in number, 

 VOL. II. 57 



