880 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
and then drops suddenly on its prey, which consists mainly of 
insects, lizards, frogs, and mice. A small dark resident form 
undoubtedly breeds in the Travancore hills, and may probably 
be found nesting up-country from April to June. 
The nest is generally placed on ledges, or in the crevices of 
cliffs, occasionally in trees. The eggs usually number four or 
five. They are broad ovals, generally rather pointed at one 
end. The colour is brick- or blood-red, with deeper mottlings 
and blotches. Average size about 1:57 by 1:21. 
Note.—It is possible that a Faleconet—probably Microhierax 
fringillarius (The Black-legged Falconet)—may be found in 
Ceylon. These birds belong to a group which has a toothed 
bill like the Falcons. They are, however, extremely small, 
with a wing measurement of under 5inches. They also differ 
from other birds of prey in their nidification, as they lay white 
eggs in a hole in the branch or trunk of a tree. 
The species mentioned above has a total length of 6°5; 
wing 4; tail 2°25; tarsus °75; bill from gape ° 55. 
In general appearance it is black, glossed with metallic-green 
on the upper parts ; the flanks and thigh coverts are black ; 
the lower parts white, more or less tinged with rusty-red ; the 
forehead and a broad stripe from behind the eye down the 
sides of the neck are white. 
This species is found in the Malay Peninsula, Southern 
Tenasserim, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. Its presence in 
Ceylon was suspected by E. E. Green (vide Spolia Zeylanica, 
Vol. VIII., p. 287). He once saw a tiny Hawk pounce ona 
Bulbul and fly away with it. On another occasion a planter 
described to him how he had seen in Hewaheta two “ black 
birds ”’ fighting, and how one of them killed the other and flew 
away with it. 
