Mr. II. Parker's Notes from Ceylon. 183 



Ou the approach of a possible encmy^ the eaglet behaved 

 like other young diurnal Raptors, raising itself on its tarsus, 

 extending its plumeless wings^ and opening its mouth widely. 

 Even a tame Tantalus, which bullied every thing else most 

 unceremoniously, treated this helpless bird wuth respect 

 after it had showed its apparent readiness to fight him. 



PoLioAETus icHTHYAETUs (Horsf.). December (Vil.). A 

 nest contained an eaglet in down and an addled egg, lying on 

 a bed of fresh green leaves, which the bird was seen to renew 

 daily. The egg, which is comparatively small, is a blunt 

 oval, 2-51 in. by 1'98 in. It is rather rough in texture, and 

 of a very pale cream-colour, almost white, with a faint gloss. 



Falco PEREGRiNATOR (Sund.). A dark Falcon, with dull 

 reddish underparts, which frequented Tissa for some weeks, 

 was apparently this species : I was unable to approach it. 



Pal.eorniseupatrius (Linn.). Feb. (Tissa). All the nests 

 examined contained three young birds. 



Pal.eornis torquatus (Bodd.). Feb. (Tissa), April 

 (Ramb.). 



PAL^ORNiscYANOCEPHALUs(Linn.). Feb. (Tissa). Found 

 sparingly at Vil-ankulam. 



Picus MAHRATTENsis (Lath.). May (Tissa) , Feb. (Ramb.) . 

 Probably breeds throughout the year. 



YuNGiPicus GYMNOPHTHALMUS (Blyth) . Feb. (Tissa), July 

 (Vil.). A nest of this Pigmy Woodpecker was in a hole, 

 10 feet from the ground, in a dead branch three inches thick. 

 The entrance was circular, and one inch in diameter. The 

 cavity was excavated down the branch for 8 inches, and was 

 2 in. by 2| in. wide. Two eggs were lying on the bare 

 wood. A second nest contained three eggs. They are very 

 blunt ovals, with a slight gloss, and are pinkish when quite 

 fresh, but become pure white when cleaned out. Average 

 size "62 in. by 'So in. 



Brachypternus ceylonus (Forster). July (Tissa). 

 Probably breeds throughout the year. 



