A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 247 



men as now, had I not seen Mr. Eodgson^s drawings of the 

 male and female of the species he called P. brimnifrons ; his plate 

 undoubtedly represents the species to which I have ventured 

 to give a new name, and shows that the male bird has a crimson 

 occipital band, as in the allied form so common in the Hima- 

 layas further to the west. On the back of his plate Mr. Hodg- 

 son notes that he obtained his specimens in the valley, and the 

 measurements he gives, from several examples in the flesh, 

 show the size did not exceed that of my bird. 



This species was only once noticed in the valley of Nepal. 

 On the 2nd March a bird was heard in the Residency grounds 

 uttering a peculiar, rather shrill and long cry, at short inter- 

 vals ; the note " reminded one somewhat of the alarm cry of 

 Halcyon smyrnensis in winter, and proceeded from this Wood- 

 pecker, then perched in a pine ti'ee. In a minute or two the 

 cry stopped, and then the situation of the bird was betrayed 

 by the flakes of bark which fell from the branch it was explor- 

 ing. I fancy I saw this Woodpecker in the Nawakot district 

 in winter, but this is not certain. 



163.— Yungipicus pygmseus, Vig. 



Male, Bichiakoh, December. — Length, 5'6; expanse, 10*7; wing, 

 S'^ ; tail, 225 ; tarsus, 0*54 ; bill from gape, 0'67 ; bill at front, 

 0"55 ; closed wings short of tail, 0'55. 



Bill horny grey ; irides dark red ; feet dingy green. Two 

 small crimson sincipital tufts, upper tail-coverts and four central 

 tail feathers unspotted black. 



Two females, Dun and Bichiakoh, December. — Length, 5*1 

 and 58 ; expanse, lO'l and 105 ; wing, 3*4 and 3'45 ; tarsus, 

 0-55 and 06 ; bill from gape, 075 ; bill at front, 0*58 and 0-6 ; 

 closed wing short of tail, 06. 



Bill grey horny ; irides dark reddish ; feet dingy green ; no 

 crimson about head ; central tail feathers and upper tail-coverts 

 black. 



This little Woodpecker was tolerably common in December 

 throughout the Sal forest from Hetoura to Semrabasa. It 

 frequented the depths of the forest trees growing about cleai'ed 

 spaces, isolated clumps of Acacias, &c., and was constantly 

 heard tapping as one walked along the forest paths. I noticed 

 it often on quite young trees, clinging to the horizontal branches 

 and hammering away as if its life depended on its exertion. It 

 seemed to be very bold, and when disturbed would usually fly 

 no further than to the next tree. 



171.— Gecinus striolatus, Bly. 



Male, Sal forest, between Bichiakoh and Semrabasa, December. — 

 Length, 11 J expanse, 17; wing, 54; tail, 4*1; tarsus, 1'05 ; 



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