114 



TIOIDM. 



Pieus mahrattensis, Lath.; Malh. t> 28.1.2; Oould. C. B. pi. 

 51; Gray, III. Ind. Zool. t. 32.2; Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 274, No. 160; 

 Hume, Sir. P. iii. 58; Murray, Sdbk., Zool., Sj-c, Sind, p. 130. Picus 

 Blanfordi, Blyth, J. A. 8. B. 1863, p. 75.— The Yellow-peonted 

 Woodpecker. 



Forehead and orown of head pale yellow ; occiput crimson in the 

 male, yellow in the female; lores, ear-coverts, round the eyes, sides 

 of neck, chin, throat and upper breast white ; a dusky line from 

 the nape extending to the sides of the breast; back, wings, and tail 

 black, banded with white; lower breast and abdomen brown, with 

 pale edges to the feathers ; centre of abdomen and vent crimson ; 

 under tail- coverts whitish, marginally streaked dusky brown ; bill bluish 

 plumbeous, dark on the culmen and tip of both mandibles ; eyelids 

 dark brown ; irides deep red ; legs and feet plumbeous. 



Length. — 7-5 to 7-75, wing 4 to 4-5, tail 2-5, bill at front I'l. 



Hah. — Throughout India and Ceylon. Occurs in Sind, Punjab, N. 

 W. Provinces, Kutch, Kattiawar, Eajputana, (Jodhpore and Sambhur 

 Lake), North Guzerat and the Deccan. Has also been recorded from 

 North Pegu. Although nothing is on record of its nidification in Sind, 

 it is not improbable that it breeds in June and July, as young birds 

 not fully fledged have been collected in September. 



Gen. Brachypternus. — StricM. 



Bill distinctly curved ; lateral ridge absent ; nostrils apert ; tail 

 cuneate. 



Brachypternus aurantias, Linn.; Malherhe pic. t. 69. 5.6; 

 Blyth, Cat. 252. Brachylophus bengalensis, L. apud Jerd. Cat. 212 

 (in part). Brachypternus dilutus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiv. 550; Jerd. 

 B. Ind. p. 295, Nos. 180 and 182; Str. F. i. 171 ; Murray, Edbk., 

 Zool., ^c, Sind. — The Golden-backed Woodpecker. 



Adult Male. — Head and crest bright crimson; hind neck, lower 

 back, upper tail-coverts and tail black ; middle of the back black, mix- 

 ed with greenish yellow ; upper back and scapulars rich golden 

 yellow ; wing-coverts black, changing to greenish yellow, the feathers 

 white spotted ; primaries dusky brown, spotted white oxx their outer 

 and inner webs ; the secondaries and tertiaries greenish yellow on 

 their outer webs, dusky on their inner webs, and also spotted white. 

 Cheeks, sides of the neck, and a stripe from the nostrils to the eyes, 

 white ; a dusky stripe through the eyes, to, and including, the ear- 

 coverts ; chin, throat, sides of the face below the white cheek patch, 

 neck and entire under parts striated black and white, the striations 

 less distinct on the lower abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts. Flanks 

 and tibial plumes white, the feathers with black bars. The female 

 has the head black with small white spots on the crown, and a small 

 tuft of crimson behind ; bill black ; irides reddish brown ; feet dusky 

 green. 



Length.— 10-6 to 12 inches, wing 5-5 to 5-75, tail 4, bill at front 1-25. 



