Subaragamuwa Province, Ceylon. 541 



from the lowest to the highest altitudes. It is generally 

 found in small companies of from five to a dozen birds, and 

 in its habits is strikingly tame and fearless. I have not 

 obtained either nest or eggs. 



130. CiNNYRis LOTENius (Lcgge, B. of C. p. 563). 



This beautiful Sun-bird is fairly abundant in the lower 

 parts of the province up to 2500 feet. It is common in both 

 the dry parts as well as the wet, as I have found it abundantly 

 at Embilipitiye, where the rainfall is very low, and at Ratna- 

 pura, -where the opposite state of climate exists. It builds its 

 beautiful nests at the ends of long thin branches, generally 

 close to the ground, and sometimes over water, covering the 

 outside with spider-webs and bits of thin bark. The eggs 

 are usually three in number, of a dull grey ground-colour, 

 closely freckled and spotted with brownish-grey and pepper- 

 brown spots, often confluent at the broad end. 



131. CiNNYRIS ASIATICUS (Lcggc, B. of C. p. 566). 



A bird of rather local distribution, though it may be found 

 at many widely diff'erent altitudes. I have noticed it abun- 

 dant at Kittulgalla, in the wettest parts of the province, and 

 at Balangoda up to Galagama. It breeds in the province 

 in April and May, constructing its pendulous nest much in 

 the same way as the last-named species. The eggs are often 

 three in number, of a pale greenish-white ground-colour, 

 finely dotted and spotted with brown. 



132. CiNNYRIS ZEYLONICUS (Lcggc, B. of C. p. 569). 



A very abundant species, and much more generally dis- 

 tributed than C, asiaticus. It is a common visitor to the 

 gardens of Europeans, both in the hill-country and the lower 

 parts of the province, and is perhaps better known by the 

 incorrect title of the " Humming-bird. '^ 



Breeds freely during the north-east monsoon up to the 

 middle of the year. The eggs are usually two in number, and 

 the nest is of the pendulous character of the preceding species. 



133. Dictum minimum (Legge, B. of C. p. 574). 



A widely-distributed little bird, but, if anything, it is 



