THE BIRDS OF THE MADHUBANI SUBDIVISION. 365 



(115) PIPEISOMA SQUALIDUM. — The Thick-billed Flower-pecker, 

 Oates, No. 921 ; Hume, Np, 240. 

 If anything, commoner than the last species. They breed from March to 

 June. All my nests, with one exception, were built on mango trees from 12 

 to 20 ft. from the ground, the other was being built on a tamarind tree at 

 Narhar about the end of February but was deserted. All the nests were 

 found hanging from the extremity of the thinnest twigs and generally from 

 those on the outermost branches. The nests were like those described by 

 Captain Beavan, but some were of a much greyer tinge ; the commonest 

 colour however is orange brown. An egg is laid daily till three, which is the 

 full number, are laid. 



Order Pici. 

 Family Picidce. 

 Subfamily Picince. 



(116) Liopicus MAHRATTENSis. — The Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker, 

 Blanford, No. 972 ; mme, No. 160. 



Rather uncommon. The few nests I have taken of this species were 

 during April and May. I have seen others but they were always deserted. 

 I have been most unfortunate with my woodpecker's nests, by far the greater 

 proportion being deserted, I think this species here invariably make holes 

 in the thinner branches of trees and never in the trunks themselves, AH 

 woodpeckers are called Kat-kodi by the natives. 



(117) Iyngipicus hardwickii.— The Indian Pigmy Woodpecker. 

 Blanford, No. 976 ; Hume, No. 164, 

 Fairly common, I have only taken two nests with eggs of this species. 

 In May 1899 I found over half a dozen pairs busy making nest holes in the 

 thin branches of mango trees ; the birds were seen at all times of the day 

 busy excavating and though never disturbed not a single pair laid eggs. They 

 commence excavating in February. The nests with eggs were taken on the 

 24th March and the 12th July respectively. The first contained 3 slightly 

 incubated eggs and the latter two fresh ones. Sometimes the holes are made 

 in fairly thick branches but usually in thin ones. 



(118) MiCROPTEKNUs PH^ocEPS.— The Northern Rufous Woodpecker. 



Blanford, No. 983 ; Hume, No. 178, 

 Scarce. It breeds here in April and May. I have the following note on 

 its nidification. At Narhar, in the nearly horizontal trunk of a decayed tree 

 standing out from a bund that overlooked a drain and surrounded by bam- 

 boos, was a hole in which some wasps had made a nest. This hole was about 

 7 ft. from the ground and had presumably been deserted by the waspa. In 

 this nest a rufous woodpecker had bored a hole and laid four eggs which were 

 slightly incubated. The eggs were absolutely glossless, 

 88 



