174 ZOOLOGY. [Part TT. 



vellous tree cliiefly owes its diffusion, its seeds being 

 carried by them to remote localities. A very beautiful 

 pigeon, peculiar to the mountain range, discovered in 

 the lofty trees at Neuera-elha, has, in comphment to 

 the Vicountess Torrington, been named Carpophaga 

 Torringionice. 



Another, called by the natives neela-coheya ^ , although 

 strikingly elegant both in shape and colour, is still 

 more remarkable far the singularly soothing effect 

 of its low and harmonious voice. A gentleman who 

 has spent many years in the jungle, in writing to 

 me of this bird and of the effects of its melodious 

 song, says, that "its soft and melancholy notes, as they 

 came from some sohtary place in the forest, were 

 the most gentle sounds I ever hstened to. Some sen- 

 timental smokers assert that the influence of the pro- 

 pensity is to make them feel as if they could freely forgive 

 all who had ever offended them, and I can say with 

 truth such has been the effect on my own nerves 

 of the plaintive murmurs of the neela-cobeya, that 

 sometimes, when irritated, and not without reason, by 

 the perverseness of some of my native followers, the 

 feeling has almost instantly subsided into placidity on 

 suddenly hearing the loving tones of these beautiful 

 bkds. " 



V. Galling. The Ceylon Jungle-fowl. — The jungle- 

 fowl of Ceylon^ is shown by the pecuharity of its 

 plumage to be distinct from the Indian species. It 

 has never yet bred or survived long in captivity, and 

 no hving specimens have been successfully transmitted 

 to Europe. It abounds in all parts of the island, but 

 chiefly in the lower ranges of mountains ; and one of 

 the vivid memorials which are associated with our 

 journeys through the liills, is its clear cry, which 

 sounds like a person calhng " George Joyce. " At 

 early morning it rises amidst mist and dew, giving 



* Chalcophaps Indicu=', Linn, ^ Gallus Lafayetti, Lesson. 



