PAHSKRINE BIRDS OF OEYLON. 1.51 



parts, with the wings, neck, and breast, are bhiish-gray ; the 

 abdomen, sides, and thighs are vdnous. and the under tail 

 coverts white. 



This is a native of the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, 

 and is a familiar cage bird. It appears to be acclimatized 

 near Madras, and in Legge's time it seems to have flourished 

 temporarily round Colombo ; it may still be seen, occasion- 

 ally, on the Galle Face (vide Legge, p. 646). 



(2) Munia atricapilla (The Chestnut-bellied Munia). — ■ 

 This species resembles M. ■malacca, but the lower breast and 

 sides of the body are chestnut, not white. Its natural habitat 

 is in Northern India, Assam, and Burma. Its occurrence has 

 been recorded ])y La yard at Galle and by Legge in Colombo 

 [vide Legge under M. rubronigra, p. 652). 



(3) Sporseginthus amandava (The Indian Red Munia). — This 

 bird belongs to a genus in which the middle tail feathers are 

 broad and rounded, and the plumage of the two se;ses differs. 

 In the male the head, neck, breast, and upper parts are 

 crimson ; the rump, upper tail coverts, and part of the lower 

 plumage are spotted with white ; the wings are brown with 

 white spots ; the abdomen, vent, and tail largely black. 



In the female the upper plumage and wings are mainly 

 brown ; the rump and upper tail coverts washed with crimson ; 

 the lower plumage is brownish tinged with fulvous yellow on 

 the abdomen. 



It occurs all over India, also in Siam, Cochin-China, and 

 parts of Malaya. The only Ceylon records are by Legge (vide 

 Legge, p. 662, under Estrelda amandava). He found a small 

 flock on the outskirts of Colombo in 1870, and again one or 

 two birds at Galle in 1872. In both cases the occurrence in 

 the vicinity of a large town is suspicious, but the birds may 

 possibly have been storm -driven from India. 



Key to Ceylon Viduinse. 



A. — Tail rounded and short ; head black, contrasting with 

 the colour of the back. Genus Munia. 



(1) Lower breast and sides of body white. 

 M. Malacca (Black-headed Munia). 



