ASSAM, SYLHET AND CACHAR. 57 



1565is.— Picus pyrrhothorax, Eume. 



This species was fully described, S. F., X, 150. I procured 

 my only specimens at Aimole in the Eastern Manipur hills. 

 Never afterwards did I or any of my men even see another 

 specimen of this beautiful bird, which being, as I believe, 

 new has never, it is needless to say, been as yet recorded 

 from any part of Assam, Sylhet, Cachar or British Burmah. 



Godwin- Austen got the true 156. — Picus cathpharius, 

 Hodgs., in the Naga hills, but there is no other record of its 

 occurrence in any other place in Assam, Cachar or Sylhet, nor 

 is it known to extend to British Burmah. 



157.— Picus macii, Vieill. 



This species was fairly common about the capital and in- 

 deed in suitable localities throughout the basin, but we never 

 saw it in either the Eastern or Western hills. 



Though even this species is not numerically abundant it is 

 at least ten times more so than any other Woodpecker in 

 Manipur, and I shot more of these than of all other kinds, 

 including piculets, put together. 



The fact is I thought them a new species. Jerdon gives the 

 wing of macii at 3'75 (whereas it really averages I find over 4), 

 and this coupled with the fact that the Manipur birds have 

 the strice on the entire lower surface much more pronounced 

 as a rule, and often have a regular gorget of strongly marked 

 black splashes, of which only traces at most are seen in the 

 majority of Indian specimens, misled me and I shot most I 

 saw, . 



Comparing, however, now with a huge series from all parts 

 of India, I find that the Manipur birds, though they do 

 differ as above on the lower surface and average slightly larger, 

 are not separable by any other point, of size, markings, or 

 colouration. 



The following are particulars of specimens measured in the 

 flesh':— 



The legs and feet are dull leaden or brownish leaden with 

 more or less of a greenish shade ; claws dusky ; soles yellowish, 

 hoary ; the upper mandible and tip of lower dusky, or black- 

 ish or blackish leaden ; the basal two-thirds (more or less) of 



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