528 Mr. F. Lewis on the Land-birds of 



after 3000 feet altitude is passed this Flycatcher is only a rare 

 visitor. The various phases of plumage of this bird have been 

 the subject of much discussion^ some naturalists contending 

 that birds in the red stage are of one species while those in 

 white are distinct, citing in support of this argument that the 

 natives of the country call this bird by two distinct names. 

 The natives of Ceylon are not, however, strict observers of 

 bird-life, and though some of their names are apt as regards 

 their signification, they are frequently misleading. In this 

 case, in the red stage, the Paradise Flycatcher is called by 

 the Singalese " Ginne hora," meaning literally " Fire-thief " 

 {ginne = five, and ho7'a = a thief), while in its white dress it is 

 called the " Redda hora," or" Cotton-thief" {redda = a. doth. 

 — usually implying a white cloth). These names are clearly 

 taken from the pretty way in which these birds flick their 

 long tail-feathers when flying from bush to bush or tree to 

 tree, giving a fanciful resemblance to a burning coal or bit 

 of white cloth being whisked about. 



If there is any doubt on the point still left, I may add 

 that I found a Paradise Flycatcher in the compound of the 

 District Engineer's house at Ratnapura. 



I obtained a nest placed in the low fork of a small tree in 

 thick forest. The nest was delicately constructed, deeply 

 cup-shaped, and covered on the outside with mosses and lined 

 inside with hair. Eggs three in number, of a delicate pink 

 ground-colour, thickly freckled with red-brown spots. 



83. Hypothymis ceylonensis (Legge, B. of C. p. 408, 

 pi. xviii. fig. 2). 



Indigenous to Ceylon. The distribution of this Flycatcher 

 does not appear to have been sufficiently followed, for I note 

 that Legge says, "'not ranging much above the low hill- 

 districts," adding that he had seen it between 2000 and 

 3000 feet in the low country to the N.E. of Kandy. 



My own observations give it a much w ider range, for I 

 have procured it at 5000 feet in the cold wet forests east 

 of Adam's Peak. I found it fairly common in all the 

 Balangoda and Bamberabolowa country, and from thence 



