Mr. E. L. Layard on the Ornithology of Ceylon. 269 



99. Brachypteryx Palliseri, Kelaart. 



One of the novelties added by Dr. Kelaart to our Ceylon 

 fauna ; he obtained it at Nuwera Elia and Dimboola ; it is 

 however rare. 



,^ 100. Drymocataphus fuscocapillus, Blyth. 



This genus was established by my friend Mr. Blyth for the 

 reception of a small bird, of which but two specimens fell under 

 my notice. One I killed with a blow-pipe, in my garden in 

 Colombo, the other I shot in the Central road ; their stomachs 

 contained insects. The birds crept about bushes and shrubs 

 like Dumetia albogularis. Mr. Blyth^s description and remarks 

 are as follows : " Like Dr. nigrocapitatus, but the supercilia, uni- 

 form with the lores ; ear-coverts, sides of neck, throat, and 

 entire under-parts, pale ferruginous brown, a little deeper on the 

 breast ; coronal feathers dark brown, margined with dusky black 

 and pale striped, rest of the upper parts uniform grayish olive- 

 brown ; the primaries margined paler and the extreme tips of 

 the tail-feathers rufescent ; bill pale, the upper mandible dusky ; 

 feet pale. Length about 6^^ in., the wing 2^ in., and tail 2^ in. ; 

 bill to gape -ff in., and tarsi 1 in." 



101. Alcippe nigrifrons, Blyth. 



i'eculiar to Ceylon and widely distributed. I discovered it in 

 1848. It frequents low impenetrable thickets, and its curious 

 note often betrays its propinquity, when itself is closely hid. 

 The irides are pale straw colour, and an egg which I took from 

 the abdomen of the bird in the month of June was pinkish, 

 spotted with dark purple. 



Of this species Mr. Blyth says, " Closely affined to A. atriceps, 

 Jerdon, from which it differs in not having the whole crown 

 black, but only the forehead continued as a line backward over 

 each eye and the ear-coverts. The tail also is darker and 

 distinctly rayed with dusky black. General hue fulvous brown 

 above and on the flanks and lower tail-coverts ; rest of the under 

 parts pure white, the axillaries tinged with rufescent. Wing 

 2^ in." 



102. Pitta brachyura, Jerd. Tota collan, Mai. ; lit. Garden 

 Thief. Avitchla, Cing., from its cry, which the syllables 

 pronounced slowly and distinctly, thus A-vitch-t-a, much 

 resemble. 



This lovely ant thrush is very common, but more often seen 

 than heard. It is wary and shy in its habits, and frequents 



