THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 189 



large, conspicuous, more or less broad, hastate, subterminal, 

 blackish brown spots. Sides somewhat similar, but the spots less 

 strongly marked, centre of abdomen more or less obscurely 

 streaked with dusky. Flanks barred black and brownish white, 

 lower tail coverts obscurely barred, dusky and whitish; but 

 marginally tipped and tinged with bright crimson, so that 

 little of this is seen. Wing lining mingled yellowish white and 

 blackish brown. 



The young males are apparently like the females, as we have 

 several differing from the females, only in having some very 

 slight crimson tippings to the crown feathers. 



Davison remarks : — " This small woodpecker is not very abun- 

 dant at the Andamans, though found scattered over the different 

 islands of the group. In habits it does not differ from other 

 small woodpeckers ; seai'ching for insects from the tops of higher 

 trees to the base of the small shrubs that form the underwood. 

 They are found as often singly as in couples, sometimes I have 

 seen a family of six, keeping all together, and following each 

 other from tree to tree." 



This species is a permanent resident, but of the Andaman 

 group only ; it has not yet been met with either at the Cocos 

 or the Nicobars. It is impossible to describe the cries of birds, 

 but I may note that the call of this species appeared to me 

 exactly similar in character to, though feebler than that of, 

 P. brunnifrons of the Himalayas. 



169 Us.— Thriponax Hodgii, Blyth. (25.) 



This fine species (of which by the way it is extremely difficult 

 to obtain really good specimens) appears to be tolerably com- 

 mon throughout the Andaman group. The dimensions as 

 recorded from the fresh birds were as follows. There is, I may 

 remark, no constant difference in size in the sexes, but the bills 

 of the males do average somewhat larger than those of the 

 females : — 



Length, 14-5 to 15-75 ; expanse, 22*25 to 2325 ; wing, 

 7-25 to 7-75 ; tail, from vent, 56 to 675 ; tarsus, 1*12 to 1*25 ; 

 bill, from gape, 1*8 to 2; bill, at front, 1-54 to 1*84; wings, 

 when closed, reach to within from 3*75 to 4 - 5 of end of tail ; 

 the weight varies from 5 5 to 7 - ozs. 



The legs, feet, and claws are blackish plumbeous ; the bill is 

 black ; in some specimens, but not in all, whitish and semi-trans- 

 parent at the tip ; irides yellowish white to pale yellow. 



The adults of both sexes are entirely black everywhere, 

 including the under-surface of the wings, except the forehead, 



w 



