358 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 
194.—Megalema viridis, Bodd. The Small Green 
Barbet. 
Very numerous indeed on the Nilghiris and its slopes, and 
through the Wynaad, occurring also. not uncommonly in the 
better wooded portions of the My sore country. 
On the Nilghiris a great amount of damage is done in 
orchards, especially to apples and pears by this Barbet. It lives 
entirely on fruit, and in the evergreen forests of the south of 
India some kind of fruit is always in season. It will descend 
close to the ground to feed on the fruit of the so-called Brazil 
cherry or cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana. ) 
Jerdon says that he “ never saw any of these Barbets clinging 
like a Woodpecker, nor heard them tapping ;”? and says ‘that 
Mr. Blyth positively asserted that they did not. All I can 
say isthat the bird is one of the commonest on the Nilghiris, 
and for about nineteen years I had many opportunities of 
observing it closely, and I can as positively assert that they 
both cling like a Woodpecker and tap. They breed in_ holes in 
trees, and these holes are a/ways cut out by themselves. I do 
not think they ever bore into the trunks or branches of trees 
for food, but they certainly do so for nesting purposes. 
The sexes do not appreciably differ in size. The following are 
the dimensions taken in the flesh of three adults :— 
Length, 9:2 to9°5, expanse, 14:0 to 14.5; tail, 2°6 to 2:8; 
wing, 4°0 to 4115; tarsus, 1:0; bill from gape, 1:4; weight, 
2°75 to 3°5 ozs. 
197.—Xantholema hemacephala, P. L. 8S. Miill. 
The Crimson-breasted Barbet. 
Sparingly distributed about the base of the Nilghiris and 
through the Wynaad. 
198.—Xantholema malabarica, Bly. The Crimson- 
throated Barbet. 
This species seems to be spread through the Wynaad, and din 
some parts, as in the neighbourhood of Manantoddy in North 
Wynaad, is a comparatively common bird. In its habits it 
doesn’t differ from the other Barbets; its voice is very similar to 
that of X. hemacephala, but more subdued. 
I measured a large number; the sexes do not appear to differ 
appreciably in size. The following is a resumé of the dimensions, 
&e., taken in the flesh of fifteen adults :— 
Leneth, 5°85 to 6°7; expanse, 10°3 to 11°5; tail, 155 to 1:9 ; 
wing, "3-02 to 3°38 ; tir etis, 0:7 to0°8; bill from gape, 0°85 to 
0°91; weight, 1:12 to 1:5 oz. 
