picm^. 275 



edges to the feathers ; a patch of crimson on the centre of the 

 abdomen, continued to the vent. 



Bill slaty-plumbeous ; legs cinereous ; irides crimson. 



Length 7^ to 7| inches ; wing 4f ; tail 2^ ; bill at front 1 ; foot If. 



This Woodpecker is very generally spread through India and 

 Ceylon, having been found in almost every district up to the foot 

 of the Himalayas, except in lower Bengal, though common in the 

 Midnapore jungles. It is, however, by no means abundant, except 

 in a few localities, and is somewhat locally distributed. It is rare 

 on the Malabar coast. I found it most plentiful in a patch of 

 thin tree-jungle near Wulliar in the gap of Coimbatore, and it is 

 by no means rare in the jungles of Central India. Colonel 

 Sykes states that, though it is called the Mahratta Woodpecker, 

 he never saw it but once. Adams, however, says that it is 

 common about Poonah, and also in Sindh, but that it is not found 

 in the Punjab. I have observed it most frequently in thin forest 

 jungle, occasionally in gardens and groves, and once in bushy 

 ground on the edge of the Neilgherries. This species has a 

 Squeaking note. A very closely allied race occurs in Upper 

 Burraah, P. Blanfordi of Blyth. 



Other Eastern species of Picus are P. atratus, Blyth, from 

 Burmah ; P. andamanensis^ Blyth, from the Andaman Islands ; 

 P. analis, Tem., from Java ; P. Cahanisi, Malh., from China ; 

 and P. pectoralis, Blyth, the precise habitat of which remains to 

 be ascertained. 



Adams records (No. 37, Birds of Cashmere,) that he once saw a 



Woodpecker about the size of the Lesser Woodpecker, with the 



head white, neck and breast bluish-black, belly and vent red. (Qu. 



Sitta leucopsis.) 



Gen. Hypopicds, Bonap. 



Chao'. — Bill slightly lengthened, slender; the lateral ridge incon- 

 spicuous ; gonys very long, barely angulated ; wings long ; tail long ; 

 its two ccntre-feathcrs elongated ; the feet rather short ; hind-toe 

 barely longer than the outer toe ; lower plumage chesnut-bay. 



This division was instituted for the present species, which is its 

 sole member. It is ronarkable for having the upper plumage ct 



