1840.] of the Peninsula of India. 215 



Sub Genus HEMILOPHUS, Sw. 



213. — H. Hodgsonii. — New species?. — Large white -hacked Wood' 

 pecker. 



Descr. — Head, short thick crest, and stripe running from the hase of 

 the lower mandible, crimson ; lower part of hack, rump and middle 

 belly white ; rest of the plumage deep black ; bill black j legs dark 

 plumbeous. 



Length 19£ inches; wing 9; tail 7\ ; tarsus 1£ ; bill to front 

 2 T Vhs; atg^pe 2 T 8 oths; width at base \ inch ; the tail is much wedg- 

 ed ; wing with 6th quill longest ; 7th equal to the 4th. 



This splendid Woodpecker, apparently undescribed, appears to ap- 

 proach in colour the P. Javensis of Hor>field, the P. leucogaster of 

 Temra. and P. pulverulent us of the same, but differs according to theic 

 description by the accurate Wagler, as well in size, as in some 

 markings, especially the white of the back, which the above named 

 species want. It is second in size only to the lately discovered 

 Chilian species (P. imperialis of Gould), being about equal to the 

 P. principalis of America; and though inferior in typical attributes 

 to the P. Sultaneus of Hodgson, is yet its superior in size. I have 

 seen it but rarely in the most dense and lofty forest jungle, and being 

 exceedingly warv, I did not procure a fresh specimen, but through the 

 kindness of Mr. Vaughan, Circuit Judge at Tellicheny, I obtained a 

 fine stuffed specimen. I have named it in honour of Mr. Hodgson, 

 Resident at the Court of Nepal, whose name is too well known to re- 

 quire here any further encomium from me. 



Sub Genus MEIGLYTES, Sw. 



214. — M. badi»s 7 . — P. badius, Raffles. — P. brachjurus, Vieillot and 

 Wagler.— P. rufus of Gray and Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. (not of Wag- 

 ler and other authors). — Bay Woodpecker. 



This curiously plumaged Woodpecker is a rare species in the penin- 

 sula. I have seen it. in thick forest in the Wynaad, and also in an 

 avenue in Malabar, in the close proximity of thick jungle. Mr. Elliot 

 also met it in the Southern Mahratta Country, and in his notes says, 

 " Ii remarkable for the head being generally smeared, as also the 

 scapulars and tail, probably from the gum of some tree." 



Irides brown ; bill blackish ; legs slaty. Length about 10 inches ; 

 wing 4 _8_ths ; tail 2 ^ths ; bill to front nearly T yhs ; at gape 1 T Vhs. 



