366 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



(119) Brachypternus aurantius. — The Golden-backed Woodpecker. 

 Blanforcl, No, 986 ; Hume, No. 180. 

 Very common. A female shot on the 1st December 3898 had the feathers on 

 the upper back and rump black tipped with golden olive. This species breeds 

 from March to July but commence excavating in February. They often 

 bore into the trunks of trees but not invariably and prefer mango, but I have 

 also found their holes in leechee and siris trees. I have seen them feeding on 

 the ground. 



Sub-family lyngince. 

 (120) Iynx tokquilla. — The Common Wryneck. 

 Blan/ord, No. 1003 ; Hume, No. 188. 

 Rather rare ; but a few are generally to be seen every cold weather. 1 have 

 secured four or five specimens. The scrub jungle which often grows on the 

 banks of tanks seems to be rather a favourite place for this species. They 

 arrive about the end of October, I having got one on the 24th of that month, 

 and appear to remain till the middle of April. 



Family Capitonidce. 



(121) Thereiceryx zeylonicos. — The Common Indian Green Barbet. 



Blanford; No. 1008 ; Eume, No. 193. 

 Very common. It breeds from April to June. Common though it is I 

 have found very few nests and only taken one clutch of eggs. The latter 

 were got from a hole in the trunk of a mango tree about 7 ft. from the 

 ground and were quite fresh. Four is I think the full complement of eggs, 

 but I have had a nest brought me containing 3 young. 



(122) XanthoLjEMA h^matocephala. — The Crimson-breasted Barbet. 



Blanford, No. 1019 ; Hume, No. 197. 

 Exceedingly common, breeding from February to July, They lay from two 

 to four eggs, three being the usual number. On the 3rd July I took 2 nearly 

 fledged young from a hole in the branch of a champa tree. I cut off the 

 branch below the hole, leaving about 10 inches on the tree ; on the 2l8t I 

 found a new hole had been excavated in the remaining piece of the branch 

 and from it I got 3 fresh eggs. The branch was again cut leaving only 3 or 

 4 inches on the tree and on the 29th a new hole had been made in it right 

 into the trunk of the tree ; this hole, however, was deserted. 



Order Anisodactyli. 



Sub-order Coracise. 



Family Coraciadce. 



(123) CoRACiAS iNDiCA.— The Indian Roller. 



Blanford, No. 1022 ; Hume, No. 123. 



This species, commonly known to Europeans here as the Blue Jay, is 



extremely common. It breeds from March to June, and most eggs are to be got 



in April. I have never found any birds so wary about their nests as those 



mentioned by Mr. B. Aitken in Hume's Nests and Eggs. They have always 



