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



Upper Dimbula, in the Central Province. The eggs are 

 large in size, being over 1 inch by about -^(^, pale soft green 

 with blotchings of light umber or greyish red, with an inter- 

 mingling of fine spots of the latter tint. 



Murray gives this bird as indigenous to Ceylon, but it may 

 be found to be identical with the larger Nilghiri species, 

 7\ simillimus. 



97. TuRDUs spiLOPTERus (Lcggc, B. of C. p. 451, pi. xix.). 

 This beautiful Thrush is peculiar to Ceylon and has a 



M'ide distribution in Sabaragamuwa. It is to be found in 

 tlie wet forests at 100 feet, and again up at the Horton- 

 Plaiu forests (7000 ft.), while in some of the deep forests of 

 the dry zone it may be met with ; but there is some con- 

 siderable variation in colour between the birds of the two 

 extreme limits of rainfall, the darker forms always indicating 

 a wet district. I have obtained several nests, but in all 

 cases in short, low trees, quite close to the ground. The 

 eggs number two, of a light pale bluish ground, much 

 speckled and dotted with dull red or light salmon. 



98. TuRDus WARDi (Lcggc, B. of C. p. 453). 



I have only once met with this Thrush in Sabaragamuwa, 

 and then under rather unusual conditions. I was on my 

 way to Denagama, in the Kadawatta Korah, in a country 

 where grass-lands are abundant, with here and there patches 

 of dense forest. On going through one of the latter I was 

 attracted by a short twitter-like note that I found came 

 from this unmistakable Pied Blackbird, and soon I found 

 that I was in a regular little flock of some 20 or more birds. 

 1 have frequently revisited the spot, but have never obtained 

 fresh examples. 



99. Oreocincla imbricata (Legge, B. of C. p. 455). 



A very rare indigenous Thrush. I have only three times 

 obtained it : once on the ridge dividing Central and Sabara- 

 gamuwa Provinces at 5000 feet, a second time in the rocky 

 forests above the Boltumbe district, and once in the Pusselawa 

 district in the Central Province. 



