1872. J MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 42/ 



in the north of Ceylon. It appears to frequent low jungle, and I 

 have rarely seen it except on dead wood near the ground and old 

 fences. It is a resident species. 



Bill slate ; irides dull red ; feet lead-colour. 



Ceylon, India. 



Picus macei, Vieill., has been recorded by Dr. Kelaart as being 

 found in Ceylon ; but I think its occurrence is very doubtful, in 

 which opinion I am strongly confirmed by Mr. Blyth. 



68. YUNGIPICUS GYMNOPHTHALMOS, Blyth. 



This little Woodpecker was discovered in Ceylon by Layard, and 

 it is said to have been since found in S. India. It frequents the 

 upper branches of large trees, and, although generally running over 

 the bark in true Woodpecker fashion, may sometimes be observed 

 perched across the smaller twigs. I have only obtained it in the 

 neighbourhood of Colombo ; but it is also found in the south. 



Bill greenish slate; irides pale buff; orbital skin purple; feet 

 greenish slate. 



Ceylon, S. India? 



69. Chrysocolaptes festivus, Bodd. 



By the kindness of Lord Walden, I am enabled to include this 

 handsome Woodpecker in my list of Ceylon birds. The two speci- 

 mens, male and female, in his collection, are labelled "November 

 1865, Cocarry." The name is probably that of a small native 

 village in the north-west of the island, not far from the Aripo 

 district, as I have reason to know that the birds collected at that 

 date for Lord Walden were procured not many miles from where I 

 was afterwards residing. Future collectors in Ceylon, who are not 

 familiar with this species (described by Jerdon under the name of C. 

 ffoensis, Gmel.), may recognize it by its black back and golden wings, 

 the underparts being coloured much as in C. stricklandi, Layard. 



Ceylon, parts of South and Central India. 



70. Chrysocolaptes stricklandi, Layard. 



Peculiar to Ceylon, and confined to the hills. It is abundant at 

 Nuwara Eliya and in all tree-jungle in that district, ranging from 

 the forest- clad Pedrotalagalla (8200 feet), the highest point in the 

 island and overlooking the Nuwara Eliya plain, through the coffee- 

 districts, to the Kandy country. The female has the whole top of 

 the head and crest black, spotted with white ; and a young bird of 

 that sex had the lower part of the back black, faintly barred with 

 white, with crimson feathers appearing among the others : the bill 

 in this bird was only two thirds the length of that in the adult. 



Layard states that the irides of this species are red-brown ; but I 

 think he must have been mistaken, as in four specimens I obtained 

 at Nuwara Eliya, and which I myself prepared, the irides were buff, 

 those of the young bird being rather paler than the others. 



Bill greenish white ; irides buff; feet greenish slate. 



Ceylon hills. 



