98 SPOLIA ZF.YLANICA. 



Female : The gray parts of the upper plumage are more 

 ashy ; wings and tail brownish, with much paler markings 

 than in the male ; lower parts whitish -gray on the throat and 

 breast, gradually changing into faint orange-yellow on the 

 abdomen and lower tail coverts. 



Bill black ; iris brown ; legs and feet black in males, 

 brownish-black in females. 



Length 5*9; wing 2 '65; tail 2-65; tarsus -6; bill from 

 gape '6. 



Distribution. — This Mini vet, divided into several geographi- 

 cal races, ranges over practically the whole Indian Empire and 

 eastwards into Siam and Cochin-China. The present sub- 

 species occurs in Ceylon and Malabar. It is found in suitable 

 localities over most of the Island, but is more abundant in the 

 north than in the damper south-west. It is fairly well 

 distributed in the hills. 



Habits. — Goes about in small troops, and has much the 

 same habits as the preceding species, but is generally met with 

 close to civilization, and not in the interior of forests. It is 

 occasionally seen in Colombo. It feeds chiefly on larvae and 

 small insects. It appears to breed in April and May. The 

 nest is a tiny edition of that of the Orange Mini vet, and is placed 

 in the same situations. The eggs are greenish -white, marked 

 with brown and purple, and measure about * 7 by • 52. 



Campophaga sykesi. 



The Black-headed Cuckoo Shrike. 



CampopJiaga sykesi (Oates, Vol. I., p. 493) ; Lalage sykesii 

 (Legge, p. 369). 



Description. — Male : Head, chin, throat, neck all round, 

 and upper breast black ; back, scapulars, lesser wing coverts, 

 and upper tail coverts slate gray, the tail coverts with paler 

 margins ; median and greater wing coverts black with graj' 

 at the tips and on the outer webs ; primary coverts black with 

 a narrow white edge on the outer webs ; primary quills black 

 with narrow white edges to the outer and a large white patch 

 on the inner webs ; secondaries with broader white borders 

 and with a certain amount of gray on the outer webs of the 



