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



tangled brakes and the ill-kept native gardens. It preys much 

 upon ants and resorts to the same hill for days together. It 

 seldom alights on trees, only perhaps when alarmed, but keeps 

 exclusively to the ground, or to the lovpest branches of the un- 

 derwood. It is migratorial, preceding the snipe in its arrival 

 and departure. .[ 



103. Oreocincla spiloptera. Val-avitchla, Cing. ; lit. Wild 

 Avitchl. Blyth, J. A. S. xvi. 142. 



Peculiar to Ceylon and only found in the hilly zone, affecting 

 high trees. I procured a specimen or two, both at Ambegamoa 

 and Gillymally. Dr. Kelaart does not appear to have met with 

 it at Nuwera Elia, for though he includes it in his catalogue, he 

 does so on the authority of Mr. Blyth. Dr. Templeton discovered 

 this species. 



104. Merula Wardii, Jerdon, 



and 



105. Merula Kinnissii, Kelaart. 



Neither of these have fallen under my immediate notice. 

 Dr. Kelaart procured the first at Dimboola and the second nu- 

 merously at Nuwera Elia. Mr. Mitford shot one (the only animal 

 life he saw there) at the very summit of Adam's Peak, feeding 

 on the crumbs of rice thrown out by the pilgrims as an offering 

 to Buddha ; and when Mr. Thwaites, the Superintendent of the 

 Botanical Gardens, botanized on the Peak, he also saw a bird 

 there, though it was much too soon for the pious offerings. 

 Male jet-black, with orange- coloured legs, bill, and cere sur- 

 rounding the eye. Female ashy ; bill and feet yellow. Length 

 9 in. ; of wing 4i in. ; tail 4 in. ; bill to gape 1^ in. ; tarsi 1^ in. 



106. Garrula cinereifrons, Blyth. 



Another addition to our fauna by Dr. Kelaart. I do not know 

 where he found it, but I obtained several specimens along the 

 banks of the Calloo Ganga, about forty miles inland from Cal- 

 tura, and one at Pallabaddoola, close to the source of the river in 

 the Peak range. In habits it much resembles the Malacocerci, 

 hunting in small parties and incessantly calling to each other. 

 In the stomachs of those I examined were grubs, small snails, 

 coleoptera and seeds. Affined to G. Delesserti of the Nilgiris, 

 but differing much in its colouring. General hue a rich brown 

 above, much paler below ; forehead and cheeks pure ashy ; chin 

 and borders of the outer primaries albescent ; bill blackish ; legs 

 dusky corneous. Length 8i in. ; of wing 4i in. ; tail 4 in., the 

 outermost feathers 1^ in. less; bill to gape \\ in. ; tarsi 1^ in- 



