of the Peninsula of India. 



Sub Genus HEMILOPHUS, Sw. 



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

 pecker. 



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

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

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

 plumbeous. 



Length 19^ inches; wing 9; tail 7| ; tarsus i-^ ; bill to front 

 2 fV^hs; at gape 2 y^'^^^'^; width at base I 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 Horsfield, the P. leucogaster of 

 Temm. and P. pulverulentus of the same, but differs according to their 

 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 wary, I did not procure a fresh specimen, but through the 

 kindness of Mr. Vaughan, Circuit Judge at Tellicherry, 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 C nls MEIGLYTES, Sw. 



214. — M. badiusi — P. lius, Raffles.— P. £r«c/^?/Mn/5, Vieillot and 

 Wagler. — P. rufus of Gray i nd 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. Mi*. Elliot 

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

 ** I? remarkable for the head being genevally 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 yVhs 5 tail 2 ^%ths ; bill to front nearly ths j at gape 1 -^Qihs. 



