370 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Habits, &c.—Generally seen near water and in well-wooded 
country, but on its first arrival it may be met with near the 
coast. The flight is straight and rather hurried, but seldom 
long-sustained. It feeds largely on the combs of bees, eating 
both honey and brood-comb. It will also eat white ants, 
various insects, and small reptiles. Some birds may breed in 
the northern forest tract, probably during the south-west 
monsoon. Indian nests are the usual structure of twigs 
placed in a tree. One or two eggs are laid. They are white 
or buff mottled and blotched with blood red or reddish, and 
measure about 2°03 by 1°72. 3 
Group VIIL-—Bazas. 
The Bazas form a genus which differs from all the preceding 
groups, in having the upper mandible of the bill furnished 
with two saw-like teeth on each side, just opposite the end of 
the lower mandible. In young birds there is often but one 
tooth, as in the Falcons, but whereas in the present genus the 
nostril is an oblique slit, in the Falcons it is a circular opening. 
There is a long crest’ on the crown. The wings are only 
moderate in length, and the first primary is much shorter 
than the fourth. The tail is fairly long and square at the 
ends. The tarsus is short and feathered halfway down in 
front ; the toes are fairly long. . 
Bazas are forest birds, of smallish or medium size, found 
in Africa, Madagascar, the Oriental region, and part of 
Australia. Two rare species occur in Ceylon. 
Rough Key to Species. 
A.—Plumage mainly black ; length about 13. 
Baza lophotes (Black-crested Baza). 
B.—Plumage mainly brown ; length about 17. 
Baza ceylonensis (Legge’s Baza). 
Baza LOPHOTES (Blanford, Vol. II., p. 409 ; 
Legge, p. 98). 
The Black-crested Baza. 
Descriplion.—Adult : General colour of upper plumage, 
wings, and tail black with a slight grayish bloom ; the bases 
of all body feathers white ; the longer scapulars white with 
broad margins of black washed with ferruginous red ; the 
