Mr. H. VsLilier's Notes ft'om Ceylon. 187 



ACRIDOTHERES MELANOSTERNUS (Legge). AugUSt, NoV. 



(Tissa), July, Nov. (Vil.). Appears to breed througlioiit 

 the year. 



EuLABEs PTiLOGENYS (Blyth). Not uncommou at Ramb- 

 bara Wibara. 



CoLUMBA INTERMEDIA (Strickl.). Jime (S.E. coast). 



CoTURNix cHiNENSis (Linn.). August (Tissa). 



Gallinula CHLOROPUs. March, Junc, July (Tissa). The 

 Moorhen shows great mobility of habits in Ceylon. In the 

 north-west (Mannar district only) it is numerous and a 

 regular migrant ; in the extreme south-east it is numerous 

 and a permanent resident ; while throughout the rest of the 

 island it is only known as one of the rarest species, and, so 

 far as I am aware, no addition has been made to the three 

 specimens recorded in the ' Birds of Ceylon.' Considering 

 the size of the island, this appears to be an abnormal distri- 

 bution. 



In the north-west this bird is excessively shy, it is rarely 

 found near the shore, it is almost impossible to flush, and it 

 never leaves the dense sedge in which it hides. In the south- 

 east, on the contrary, it is as tame as in England, it is quite 

 commonly found near the margins of open sheets of water, 

 and it flies at once on being frightened. Finally, it has 

 been known to breed — once at Mannar, and twice at Tissa. 



Feb.: $ (Mannar, breeding). Length 13"30 inches ; ex- 

 panse 21-30; wing 6-70; tarsus 1'95 ; tail 3*20; bill 1-20. 



June : $ (Tissa, breeding). Length 13*40 inches ; expanse 

 21-62; wing 6-72; tarsus 2*10; tail 3-40; bill from gape 

 1-15. 



PoRPHYRio POLiocEPHALUs (Lath). July (Tissa). As Col. 

 Legge records it in the early part of the year, the Blue Coot 

 must have two broods in the south-east. 



The nestling is black-haired. It has a white bill, the base 

 being crimson at the sides ; purple or lilac casque ; reddish- 

 purple legs ; lilac toes ; spur on the winglet lilac and very 

 prominent. 



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