68 A FIRST LIST OF THE 



ground must be clear of the long- grass so common in Burmese 

 jungles, as this would of course prevent the bird from flying from 

 stem to stem. They do not absolutely confine themselves to these 

 spots; indeed they may often be seen in large tree jungle, but 

 always adjoining valleys, such as I have described. I have seen 

 one crossing the brigade ground at Thayetmyo. The strokes of 

 the bill of this bird are very slow and loud, almost resembling the 

 blows of the clah (Burmese knife). They appear to cling with the 

 feet, and swing the whole body to give force to their blow. The 

 flesh of this bird is very soft in comparison with that of other Wood- 

 peckers. It is very easy to approach this bird before it is alarmed, 

 but when once disturbed it is extremely wary. It is a toler- 

 ably common bird ten or fifteen miles west of Thayetmyo, and 

 about the same distance north, but from its secluded habits is 

 little known. I was myself about eight months in Thayetmyo 

 before I obtained one ; but having once found out their haunts, I 

 hardly ever went out ten or fifteen miles without seeing or hear- 

 ing them. They have two notes, one resembling that of the 

 Jackdaw, but not so loud, and, if I may use the expression, with a 

 nasal twang in it^ the other like that of BracJiyptermis chryso- 

 notus, Lesson's Woodpecker, but of course much louder. This 

 is very seldom used, only when the bird is wounded or very much 

 startled ; the former note is more frequently heard. But, as a whole, 

 it is a silent bird. The flight is different from that of other 

 Woodpeckers ; it rather resembles that of the Roller, and is, I 

 believe, perfectly noiseless. I have seen them drop from a high 

 tree nearly to the ground, and then glide off just above the 

 ground in the same manner as a Sparrow Hawk. As a rule, they 

 are found in pans. I never saw more than two together/' 



171.— Gecinus striolatus, Blyth. 



Specimens sent by both Captain Feilden and Mr. Dates are 

 identical with Indian birds from both Southern and Northern 

 India. 



Mr. Oates says : " This is perhaps the commonest Woodpecker 

 we have. I have shot it also below Prome. Specimens that 

 I measured varied in length from 11*5 to 11*6; expanse, 16*75 

 to 17*8; tail, from vent, 3'9 to 4'2; wing, 5*35 to 5*55; bill, 

 from gape, 1*4 to l - 42 ; tarsus, 09 to 0'95. The iris is pink, 

 with an outer ring of white ; the eyelids, bluish grey ; the upper 

 mandible, blackish ; the lower, yellow, blackish at tip and dusky 

 at gape ; legs, dull green ; claws, bluish horny." 



171 Us.— Gecinus vittatus, Vieil. 



Mr. Oates remarks that this species is "tolerably common 

 in all thick forests from Tonghoo to the Bay of Bengal. A 



