PICARIAN BIRDS AND PARROTS OF CEYLON. 263 
or sometimes three eggs are laid. The bird sit fairly close. 
The eggs are blunt ovals with little difference between the two 
ends. They are dull white, and chalky in texture. Average 
size 1:21 by °96. 
PH@NICOPHAES PYRRHOCEPHALUS (Blantford, Vol. III., p. 234; 
Legge, p. 255). 
The Red-faced Malkoha. 
Description.—Crown, sides, and back of neck black, glossed. 
with green and streaked with white ; remainder of upper 
plumage deep glossy green, the wing quills and tail with a 
bluish lustre; tail feathers with long white tips, longest on the 
outer feathers ; chin and feathered portion of cheeks white 
with black shaft streaks ; throat and fore-neck glossy black ; 
remainder of lower parts white. 
The feathers of the head and neck are forked ; the whole 
side of the face from the bill to the ears is covered with a short 
stiff crimson, growth resembling rudimentary feathers. 
Young birds have only a bare brick-red naked patch round 
the eye ; the streaks on‘ the crown are dull gray ; the black 
feathers on chin and throat are streaked with white ; the tail 
feathers are shorter and less broadly tipped with white than 
in adults. 
Bill apple-green, paler below; iris in males brown, in 
females white ; legs and feet bluish. 
Length about 18; wing 6°25; tail 11; tarsus 1°4; bill 
from gape 1°55. 
Distribution.—Peculiar to Ceylon ; found in thick forest 
and heavy jungle over most of the medium and wet zones. It 
ascends the southern hill ranges as high as Haputale. 
Habits, &c.—A very shy bird, not uncommon in the wilder 
stretches of forest, but seldom seen near cultivation. It feeds 
mainly on fruit, and travels about in small parties. The 
breeding season appears to be about May. The nest probably 
resembles that of the preceding species. The eggs, two or 
three innumber, are also similar, but slightly less chalky on the 
surface. They are short broad ellipses, practically the same 
at both ends. Average measurement about 1°40 by 1°04. 
