PICARIAN BIRDS AND PARROTS OF CEYLON. 211 
are usually laid on a few stalks of dried grass which line the 
bottom of the cavity. Theiraverage size is about 1:23 by °87. 
There appear to be several broods, as I have taken eggs 
as early as March and as late as August. 
CYANOPS FLAVIFRONS (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 94). 
MEGALMA FLAVIFRONS (Legge, p. 212). 
The Yellow-fronted Barbet. 
Description.—The forehead, front of crown, and a spot 
below the gape golden-yellow ; top of the head brownish-green, 
passing into the grass-green of the remainder of the upper 
plumage ; the feathers of the nape and of the back and sides 
of the neck have pale shaft-stripes. Wing quills brown with 
pale yellow inner margins, the outer webs of all but the first 
few primaries green. Eyebrows, lores, cheeks, ear coverts, 
chin, and throat verditer-blue ; rest of lower plumage pale 
green, the breast feathers bordered, and the flanks and 
abdomen washed with emerald green ; under surface of tail 
shot with blue. 
Bill greenish horn colour, darker by the nostrils ; iris light 
red ; legs and feet greenish, sometimes bluish. 
Length 8°5; wing 3°5; tail 2°30; tarsus °9; bill from 
gape 1-1. 
Distribution.—Peculiar to Ceylon. Found chiefly in the 
hill zone, except at the highest altitudes. From the bases of 
the hills it spreads into the damp low-country zone, being found 
in most parts of the Western Province, Sabaragamuwa, and 
the Galle and Kurunegala Districts. In the drier forest region 
it is more restricted, but is found locally in parts of the Eastern 
Province and the district north of the Matale hills. 
Habits, &c.—Chiefly a forest bird, keeping to the tops of 
trees and feeding on fruit. It is very noisy in the mornings 
and evenings. The call is something like that of the preceding 
species, but more shrill. The birds breed in almost every 
month of the year. The nest hole is usually excavated in a 
soft-wooded tree. ‘Two or three eggs are laid on the bare wood. 
They are white and smooth in texture, and generally slightly 
pointed at each end. Average size 1:10 by °80. 
