116 GECININJE. 



The Black -backed Woodpecker is not common ; it has been 

 obtained near Aboo, at Mhow in Central India, aud at Ratnagiri ; 

 it does not occur in Sind. 



GENUS, Thriponax. 



Lateral ridge prominent near the culmen, which is sharp and 

 very slightly arched ; gonys hardly half the length of the^ under 

 mandible ; toes short ; anterior toe longer than the versatile one ; 

 claws very large ; neck long and slender ; head, with a short 

 compact crest ; wings and tail long, the latter cuneate. 



Thriponax hodgsoni, Jerdon. 



169. Mulleripicus hodgsoni, Jerd. Jerdon's Birds of India, 



Vol. I, p. 284 ; Butler, Deccan; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 386. 

 THE GREAT BLACK WOODPECKER. 



Length, 17 to 19 ; expanse, 24 to 26 ; wing, 8 to 9 ; tail, 7'5 ; 

 bill at front, 2 to 2*3. 



Bill black ; irides crimson ; legs dark plumbeous. 



Head, with short thick crest, and stripe running from the base 

 of the lower mandible, crimson ; lower part of back, rump and 

 middle of belly, white ; the rest of the plumage deep black. 



The Great Black Woodpecker has been obtained at Kanara 

 and also in the forests west of Belgaum ; there is no other record 

 of its occurrence within the district. 



SUB-FAMILY, Gecininae. 



Bill widened, with the culmen more or less curved ; lateral 

 ridge very slight or absent altogether ; gon ys short ; feet small ; 

 hind-toe shorter than the anterior outer one ; the hind-toe, indeed, 

 is always very small, and absent in some. 



GENUS, Gecinus, Boie. 



Bill slightly widened in its whole length, compressed at the 

 tip ; upper mandible thickened at the base, with one or more 

 slightly elevated lines (representing the lateral ridge), close to 

 the culmen, which is very slightly arched ; gonys very short ; 

 wings moderate ; anterior and versatile toes nearly equal ; hind- 

 head with a narrow pointed crest ; neck thick ; tail rather long, 

 cuneate. 



Gecinus striolatus, Etyth. 



171. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 287 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 458 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 



IX, p. 386. 



THE SMALL GREEN WOODPECKER. 



Length, 11-5 ; expanse, 17 ; wing, 5'25 ; tail, 375 ; bill at 

 front, 1'2; foot, 2'2. 



Bill horny above, yellowish at base and beneath ; irides pink 

 with an outer circle of white ; feet greenish-slaty. 



