( '^1 ) 



(Coraciadee) :* Bee-eaters (Meropidae) ; Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) ; 

 Hornbillst (Bucerotidse), two species, one of which (Lophoceros 

 gingalensis) is peculiar ; Hoopoes (Upupidae) ; Swifts (Cypselidae), 

 one of which, the Edible-nest Swiftlet {Collocalia fuciphdga), 

 builds the well-known edible nests in caves, small cups made of 

 grass, moss, and feathers cemented together by inspissated saliva 

 [Blanford, I.e., p. 177] ; Nightjars (Caprimulgidae), which lay their 

 eggs on the ground without any nest. 



BIRD CASE II. 



The second case alongside the first contains some of the Doves 

 and Pigeons (Columbidse), including Turtur risorkis, the Ring- 

 dove, and Colwnba intermedia, the Indian Rock Pigeon, from 

 which all the breeds of domestic pigeons peculiar to India are 

 derived. The Galline or true game birds of Ceylon belong to the 

 Pheasant family (Phasianidai). First in order and importance 

 comes the Peafowl, referred to and exhibited elsewhere ; then 

 the endemic Ceylon Jungle-fowl {Gallus lafai/etti), characterized 

 by its peculiar call and by the yellow patch in the centre of the 

 comb of the male ; the endemic Ceylon Spur-fowl {Qalloperdix 

 bicalcarata), which only occurs in the southern half of the Island ; 

 finally the Quails and Partridges. The Gray Partridge (Francoli- 

 nus pondicerianiis) is common in India, but is only found in the 

 northern half of Ceylon and in the small islands (Delft, Iranativu, 

 &c.) off the Jaffna Peninsula. The Painted Partridge (F. pictus), 

 unrepresented in the Museum collection, is another Indo- 

 Ceylonese bird localized in Ceylon to the highlands or patanas 

 between Nuwara Eliya and Badulla. 



The Three-toed Quails, represented here by two female Bustard 

 Quails {Turnix pugnax), belong to a separate order, Hemipodii, 

 and family, Turnicidfe. The females are larger and more highly 

 coloured than the males, and " the ordinary conduct of the sexes 

 during the period of incubation is reversed, for the male alone 

 sits on the eggs and tends the young brood, whilst the females 

 wander about, uttering a purring call that serves as a challenge, 

 and fight each other" [Blanford, Faun. Ind. Birds, vol. IV., p. LW]. 



Of the Rails, Crakes, Moorhens, and Watercocks (Rallidae), 

 Baillon's Crake {Porzana pusilla) is to be noted for its rarity in 

 Ceylon ; the Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) ranges from Great 



* The Indian Roller QC'oracias indica) is common at Jaffna, Anuraclhapura, &c,, 

 and is known to Europeans as the Low-country Jay, but it is a Picarian bird 

 related to the Bee-eaters and Kingfishers, not a Passerine bird of the Crow- 

 family. It is fond of perching on telegraph wires. 



j The Hornbills of the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Papuan regions are the 

 representatives of the Toucans (Rhamphastidaj) of South America, and are 

 sometimes popularly confounded with the latter. 



