18 HABITS AND HAUNTS OF BIRDS 



more or less plastered up after the female has entered, and the egg's are 

 white. 



PaiTOtS, (Paloeornis, Loriculus). These occur throughout India 

 some local, some widely spread, but all where they occur are 

 permanent residents. They lay pure white eggs in holes in trees, 

 generally they use a natural hollow, but sometimes they cut the entrance 

 hole themselves, always choosing a tree decayed internally. The nest holes 

 are often at a considerable height from the ground. They are gtegari- 

 ous when not breeding, and often a number of nests may be found in the 

 same tree, They affect cultivation and open wooded country. 



Woodpeckers, (Picns, Hypopicus, Yungipicus, Hemicircu^ Chry- 

 socolaptes, Muelleripicus, Gecinus, Chrysophlegma, Venilia, Gecinulusj 

 Micropternus, Brachypternus, Chrysonotus). There are a great number 

 of species in India. Only two species are widely spread, the yellow-fronted 

 woodpecker (Picus mahrattensis) and the common gold-back woodpeck- 

 er ( Brachyplernus aurantius). The rest are local and confined to particular 

 parts of India. They are as a rule only found in well-wooded districts. 

 They all lay pure white eggs, and deposit them in holes in trees which 

 they cut for themselves with a neat circular orifice.* The nest holes are 

 always on the under -sides of boughs, or in perpendicular trunks to keep 

 out rainwater. Woodpeckers are not migratory. They breed wherever 

 they are found. 



PicllletS, (Fivia, Sacia). Only two species occur in India, and 

 these are confined to the Himalayas. In habits they exactly resemble 

 woodpeckers, and lay white eggs in artificial holes in trees. They are 

 not nugatory. 



Wrynecks, ( Yunx). One species, the common wryneck ( Y. tor- 

 quila) is common in the plains in the cold weather, but it migrates in 

 the spring. It is said to breed in Kashmir, but no details are recorded. 

 They nestle in holes in decayed trees and lay pure white eggs. 



Honey guides, (Indicator). -One species is found though ex- 

 tremely rarely, and nothing is known of its habits. 



BarbetS, (Megalcema, Xantholoema) . Many species occur in India. 

 They closely resemble woodpeckers in their habits, but they feed on fruit. 

 They are non-migratory, breeding wherever they are found. They usual- 

 ly inhabit forests or well-wooded country, lay pure white eggs, and de- 



* Mr. Gamruie lias recently discovered that in Sikkim the bay woodpeckers (Micropter- 

 nus) make their nest holes in black ants' nests attached to trees, a most remarkable fact. 



