Mr. E. L. Layard on the Ornithology of Ceylon. 263 



forget : the shrill screams of the birds, the fluttering of wings 

 innumerable, and the rustling of the glazed leaves of the cocoa- 

 nut trees, mingled with the gabbling of the natives below, quite 

 stunned me, and I was glad to escape to the path by the river's 

 bank which led to the miserable Government Rest House where 



I was stopping, and where the roar of the breaking surf dis- 

 pelled the noise which still rang in my ears. 



P. torquatus breeds in hollow trees, making little or no nest, 

 and laying three or sometimes four pure white eggs, weighing 



II 5. 16 grs. Axis 14 lines, diam. 11 lines. It feeds on grain 

 of all kinds, fruits, chillies, plantains, &c. 



It is easily domesticated, becomes very attached and familiar, 

 and is usually seen in most native and European houses. 



176. Paljeornis Layard i, Blyth. ' 



Syn. P. hitorquatus ? Kuhl. 



Of this species Mr. Blyth writes* : " As the Society has now 

 received this species from Ceylon, and as there were some Ceylon 

 birds in the Mauritius collection presented by Mr. Earle, there 

 can be little doubt that No. 8 A. is erroneously assigned to the 

 Mauritius in p. 4.'^ I tried for months to procure another spe- 

 cimen of this bird, but though I had several hundred parrots 

 killed I could not find one. I hardly think it a good species, but 

 time will show. It was shot at Pt. Pedro. 



177. Pal^ornis Calthrop^, Layard, J. A. S. xxxii. 



Alloo girawttj Cing. 



My first acquaintance with this lovely bird was at Kandy, 

 where I killed a male and female at one shot from a flock flying 

 over my head ; I took them for the common P. torquatus until I 

 picked them up, and then great was my delight to find such an 

 elegant new species. It proves to be the common parrakeet of 

 the hilly zone, and I have traced it in all parts of it. It feeds on 

 berries, and seeks them on the very summit of the trees. When 

 a flock is occupied in feeding every bird is as silent as the grave, 

 and so diflicult are they then to be distinguished, that though I 

 have sometimes marked a flock into a tree, I have stood for ten 

 minutes and could not perceive a single bird, though aided by 

 the keen eyes of my fidus Achates, Muttu, and perhaps three or 

 four natives : suddenly with one consent away would go the 

 whole flock with a scream which almost deafened one. The 

 natives tell me it breeds in hollow trees and lays two white 

 roundish eggs. 



* Addenda to Appendix No. 3 of Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum 

 of tlie Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



