180 Mr^ JSi.J^^J^ayard on the Ornithology of Ceylon. 



141. BicRURus LEucoPYGiALis, Blyth. 



A coinriion species about Colombo. The European name for 

 all these birds is " king crow," which seems to be derived from 

 an inveterate habit they all have of chasing every crow from 

 their vicinity. D. leucopygialis is very partial to the cocoa-nut 

 tree, on the fronds of which it sits, pouring out a lively song, and 

 battling with its fellows or some stray crow. When one of these 

 latter comes in sight the king crow rushes down, screaming and 

 darting upon his back ; in vain the crow attempts to elude his 

 persecutor by doubling and twisting among the branches. His 

 enemy pertinaciously follows in pursuit, and by his cries attracts 

 all within hearing, and the crow runs the gauntlet among them 

 till out of his adversaries^ dominions. I see Dr. Kelaart includes 

 this species in his list, marked with an asterisk, denoting that he 

 does so on the authority of Mr. Blyth. He must be acquainted 

 with this bird, and has doubtless mistaken it for the E. Bemifer 

 of Temminck, which he has enumerated in his Catalogue, and 

 ,^hich does not exist in the island. 



^ ,j.. ...!., ^ 142. Irena PUELLA, Horsf. r >^^' f' 



, ^ Is very rare, but one specimen has fallen under my notice, and 

 one is named by Dr. Kelaart ; both were shot in the central pro- 

 vince near Kan dy. 



^, , 143. Lanius suPERCiLiosus, Linn. '\^ 



- Our bird is a variety, but not sufficiently distinct to constitute 

 a species, being simply paler and wanting the rufous crown of 

 the Indian bird. It is exceedingly abundant in all open lands 

 dotted with small bushes. I saw them in greater numbers about 

 Hambantotte than in any other part of Ceylon ; they frequented 

 low bushes. 

 .saqoiq-ijooUlj^^ Lanius erythronotus. Vigors. > »rf* ai 



^,. Is confined to the Jaffna peninsula, where they are not un- 

 common. They frequent the Euphorbia trees, building a cup- 

 shaped nest composed of mosses and lichens lined with wool 

 and hair : the young are fledged in June, but I was not so for- 

 tunate as to find the eggs. I never detected either of our indi- 

 genous " Batcher birds " fixing an insect on a thorn previous to 

 devouring it ; nor did I ever see an insect so impaled ; yet the 

 birds were very abundant in the N. Province, and even in my 

 own compound, several pairs were constantly about. I am in- 

 clined to think that this habit is attributed to them without due 

 investigation. ■ ftfeg-ro io minm .t»Via5ic?t>fca ijiaJ in ««?^t»vai 



