68 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



Laborious as the lives of Woodpeckers seem to be, how- 

 ever, they are a thriving clan, and are spread all over the 

 world except in the Australian region, from the icy pine- 

 forests of the Arctic regions to the warm damp jungles of 

 South America. 



The Golden-backed Woodpecker has not so wide a range 

 as some other species, but it is still a very numerous bird, 

 being found all over India except in the higher hills. It 

 varies to a certain extent with locality, like so many other 

 Indian birds, Sind specimens being paler and South Indian 

 ones darker than the type found in Calcutta. There is a 

 certain amount of individual variation also : the black- 

 and-white waistcoat of some birds is darker than that of 

 others, and the golden mantle may show a strong tinge of 

 red. In fact, if extreme forms be taken, two or three 

 species can be made out of our present subject. 



It is more interesting, however, to note that the plumage 

 of this species is very nearly reproduced by two others, 

 one of which (Chrysocolaptes gutticristaius) has a well- 

 developed inner hind-toe, while the other (Tiga javanensis) 

 has none at all : so that the common Golden-backed Wood- 

 pecker forms the middle term in this series of degenerates, 

 and is a fine example of a " missing link ' ' still existing, 

 to use a rather Hibernian expression. It is very remark- 

 able, indeed, that Woodpeckers should be so undecided in 

 the matter of toes ; as I implied above, the reason is not 

 easy to find, as generally speaking they are so very uni- 

 form in structure and habits. All agree in laying white 

 eggs, and in refusing to wear any shade of blue in their 

 plumage, and most are inveterate woodlanders ; for the 



