THE BIRDS OF NORTH KANARA. 677 



along the coast, at all events from Kumta northwards, and through 

 the Supa petta, making its large round stick nest in some prominent 

 position some twenty feet from the ground. It seems to have a pre- 

 ference for thorny trees. 



948. Gecinus striolatus, Blyth. 



I have never succeeded in obtaining a specimen of this bird, but I 

 have three times come across it ; once near Bhutkul in the extreme 

 south of the district, in December, again at Palla, and at Sidligundi 

 in the Mundgode petta in March. It is a shy bird, as on two of these 

 occasions I tried to shoot it, but each time failed to get within shot. 

 952. Gecinus chlorogaster, Jerd. 



Fairly common in all the Kanara forests, but I think a good deal 

 commoner above than below the Ghats. Its note is a plaintive scream 

 and not like the harsh cry of most of the wood-peckers. I have found 

 the nest several times ; oddly enough, all have been in dead supari palms 

 in gardens. The number of eggs is three, and all were taken in the 

 beginning of April. 



972. LlOPICUS MAHRATTENSIS, Lath. 



This wood-pecker is rare below the Ghats in Kanara, and I have only 



twice seen it — once at Agsar, ten miles east of Ankola, and once near 



Bhutkul. In the open forests towards the east of the district it is 



common, and I have on several occasions taken its eggs there in March. 



976. Iyngipicus hardwickii, Jerd. 



By no means common in Kanara, except in the extreme east of the 

 district. I have, however, seen it occasionally both above and below 

 the Ghats. I twice found its nest in the district at Mundgode and 

 Palla in the end of February. The nests were, I think, finished ; but 

 though the birds were inside, in neither case were eggs laid. 

 985. Micropternus gularis, Jerd. 



This is one of the commonest wood-peckers in the district, found from 

 the extreme east to the coast. It is partial to low jungle, and, as has 

 often been remarked before, is found occasionally feeding on the ground. 

 I have taken many of its nests. All were in the centre of a nest of 

 Cremastogaster ants (in all but one case the species which builds the 

 smooth nests, not the fluted). The eggs may be found at any season 

 from the beginning of February to the end of April, and the ants' 

 Dest chosen is generally about fifteen to twenty feet from the ground. 



