OBSERVED ON THE PALANI HILLS. 399 



February and March, and the wings and tail were brown as at that 

 time. The female too in her summer dress retains the sanguine 

 red patch on her rump that she has in her nuptial moult. The 

 "males of other Nectarines seem to mostly monopolize the bright 

 colors. But the female of this species possesses the red patch 

 throughout the year. 



234.— Cinnyris asiaticus, Lin. 



Common at the base of the hills and on the plains. 



* 235. — Cinnyris lotenius, Lin. 



I obtained but one, a male, at the Eastern base of the hills, 

 and did not see another during my stay. 



* 238.— Dicaeum erythrorhyncha, Lath. 



Common in the adjacent plains and sometimes observed on 

 the hill sides. 



* 239.— Dicaeum concolor, Jerd. 



A kind of Loranthus has found most congenial quarters on 

 one of the Wattle trees {Acacia melanoxylon) that has become 

 naturalized at Kodaikanal. It has become so abundant in 

 certain localities* as to greatly injure and even kill the trees on 

 which it is parasitic. Where it most abounds I found Dicceum 

 concolor in considerable numbers — gathering its food from the 

 tubes of the Loranthus flowers. It seemed to confine its atten- 

 tions entirely to the parasite. In my notes 1 find the measure- 

 ment of two specimens, but both are females, and all the items 

 are identical. 



? Kodaikanal, at 7,000 feet, 2>\st May. — Length, 3-6 ; wing, 

 2*1; expanse, 6*3; tail, 1-0; tarsus, 0-55; bill from gape, 

 0-5; weight, 0'25 oz. Iris, dark brown; bill, plumbeous ; feet, 

 black. 



* 253.— Dendrophila frontalis, Horsf. 



This pretty bird is found wherever there are trees on the 

 Palanis. I obtained it at the bottom and on the top. 



254.— Upupa epops, Lin. 



One Hoopoe that I shot was of this species, but some that I 

 only observed seemed so small that I do not hesitate to add. 



255.— Upupa nigripennis, Gould. 



Observed on the Lower Palanis. 



* Even more so on ths Nilgheris, where it is plaving havoc with all the finest 

 A, melanoxylons — Ed., S. F. 



