44 PIOID^E. 



Length 7 ; tail 2-6 ; wing 4 ; tarsus '8 ; bill from gape 1 to 1'2. 

 The bill is generally shorter in females. 



Distribution. Generally spread, but only common locally, through- 

 out the Peninsula of India and Northern Ceylon from the sea- 

 level to about 2500 feet, or higher in places, and found at low 

 elevations in the valleys of the Western Himalayas, but only out- 

 side the base of the Eastern. Eare in the Western Punjab, Sind r 

 and Rajputana ; not found in Southern Ceylon, Lower or Eastern 

 Bengal, Assam, Cachar, or Arrakan, but reappearing in the dry 

 parts of Upper Burma, being common about Thayet Myo and 

 farther north, and at Toungngoo. Also obtained in Cochin 

 China. 



Habits, <$fc. This is chiefly an inhabitant of low jungle and scrub, 

 not of thick forest. It is often seen on Palas (Eutea frondoaa), and 

 on species of Acacia and Euphorbia. It breeds in February, March, 

 and April, and lays usually three white eggs measuring about '87 

 by '68. The nest is the usual hole, generally in a dead trunk or 

 branch. 



The variety called P. blanfordi by Blyth inhabits Upper Burma, 

 and has the white markings of the upper plumage more developed, 

 especially on the wings and tail. Similar birds are found in 

 North-western India. 



Genus IYNGIPICUS, Bonaparte, 1854. 



This is but little more than a small form of Dendrocopus, distin- 

 guished by a rather more pointed wing and a shorter tail. The 

 primaries greatly exceed the secondaries in length ; the first pri- 

 mary is quite small, and the second is only exceeded in length by 

 the third, fourth, and fifth, which are subequal. The coloration 

 above is black or brown, with white cross-bars ; beneath brownish 

 white with, almost always, longitudinal brown or black streaks. 



lyngipicus ranges throughout the Oriental region, and one 

 species is found in Africa. Five closely allied species or geogra- 

 phical races are found within Indian limits. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Upper tail-coverts and median rectrices 



entirely black. 



a'. Whole occiput red in males /. semicoronatus, p. 45. 



V. A red stripe on each side of occiput 



in males J. pygm&us, p. 45. 



b. Upper tail-coverts fringed and banded 



with white ; median tail-feathers 

 generally spotted white. 



c'. Crown ashy grey /. canicapillus, p. 4(5. 



d'. Crown light brown, lower parts 



striated I. hardivickn, p. 47. 



e. Crown blackish brown, lower parts 



plain I, gymnophthalmus, p. 48. 



