DISTRIBUTION OF BIRDS IN CEYLON. | 29 
species peculiar to the south-western region side by side with 
a later-comer, distributed all over Ceylon, Malabar, and the 
Carnatic. The Crateropodidx, or Babblers, afford an instance 
of this, and the two strata among our birds are exceedingly 
well shown by our Woodpeckers. 
Chrysocolaptes stricklandi—Layard’s Woodpecker—and 
Brachypternus erythronotus—the Red-backed Woodpecker— 
belong to the older contingent ; C. festivus—the Black-backed 
Woodpecker—and 6. aurantius—the Golden-backed Wood- 
pecker—to the later invasion. -Liopicus mahrattensis—the 
Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker—is a Carnatic invader, 
belonging to a genus unrepresented in the Island before. 
The invasion, like all other invasions, shows a record of 
varying success. Some species have succeeded in over- 
running the whole Island, others have only obtained a footing 
close to the point of entry. Similarly, with regard to the 
older inhabitants, some may have already retreated to the 
damper and cooler portions of Ceylon before the newcomers 
came over, others may have been driven to their strongholds 
by the invaders, and others again, like our Jungle Cock—Gallus 
lafeyetti—and Acridotheres melanosternus—the Ceylon Mynah— 
have maintained their position all over the Island. 
The recency of the invasion can be argued from the absence 
of any peculiar species among our Carnatic birds, and still 
more from the fact that so many of them have not succeeded 
in penetrating to the south-east of the Island, where the 
conditions are suitable. One would expect to find in the dry 
Hambantota District such species as Coracias indica—the 
Indian Roller, Turtur risorius—the Indian Ring Dove, and 
more especially Cursorius coromandelicus—the Indian Courser 
—and Francolinus pondicerianus—the Gray Partridge. These 
and other omissions are all the more noticeable, as the type 
of fauna found in this south-eastern maritime belt is essentially 
the same as that of the similar belt in Mannar, and contains 
a very small proportion of the Malabar type of fauna. 
Before leaving the question of earth movements, it may be 
remarked that geological indications point to the conclusion 
that the last movement of elevation, which united Ceylon to 
the Indian Continent, has ceased, and that there is now a 
