Notes from an Amateur in Ceylon 189 



of thein. 1 do not even know the family of the i^lorious Orange 

 Minivet, large tiocks of whom often visit us, tlie l^ame and 

 black of the larger and the flame and slaty-grey of the smaller 

 species, is exquisite; they are grace impersonified, iind tame 

 fearless birds to boot, who take good care of our fruit and 

 flowering" trees. They are called locally Sultan Birds as one 

 cock usually is seen with two or more hens — possibly his latest 

 family. No amount of offered rewards can urg'e the natives to 

 find me where they breed, locally, so I fancy it. must be either 

 in higher altitudes where one often sees them too, or in other 

 countries, as they are migratory. The hen's colouring- is bright 

 canary-yellow in place of the orange of the cock and I some- 

 times see both sexes, when out of colour, an undetermined 

 washy grey in the brightly coloured parts. 



The Paradise Flycatcher is a most interesting- and very 

 lovely Ijird. The young cocks and the hens are rich light chest- 

 nut, all but a white shirt front, with shining black head and neck 

 to the shoulders. The crest is erect and pointed; at about 

 two years the cocks grow long chestnut tail feathers about 

 ten or twelve inches in length, and in their fourtli year their 

 whole plumage, long tail and all, becomes snowy white except 

 the black head and cape. They are a beautiful sight in flight in 

 the open with their fluttering long tails. Although the bird is 

 quite plentiful I cannot tind its nest locally either. 



We are constantly brought young Barbets to rear l)y 

 hand; they really are most amusng birds, although the Common 

 Green Barbet is very ugly. The smaller si)ecies, called locally 

 Painted Barbet. is much neater, and a nice pet, their colouring- 

 being beautiful. They are very noisy in the house, and dirty too, 

 but become very tame and friendly in an assertive sort of way — 

 when you approach they begin their loud strident call, which 

 continues for about two minutes, during which time their wind- 

 pipe expands into a sort of bubble full of air, which shows quite 

 bare through the feathers. I found them the most frail birds for 

 their size and strong appearance, they constantly broke limbs, 

 tore their mandibles, and came through terrible experiences, 

 so I have given up keeping them till I can make a large aviary 

 for bigger birds; nevertheless they are amusing and very 

 friendly — if they had not this habit of " going bad " as my 



