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



decidedly superior in flavour to any other game which I tasted 

 in Ceylon ; it ate and looked much like grouse. 



It is most active during morning and evening, roaming in 

 small parties amid the open glades, or bare towering trunks of 

 the " Mookalane," but on the least alarm seeking safety in the 

 most impenetrable underwood ; after remaining some time con- 

 cealed, if nothing occurs to excite their fears, a cock-bird, 

 bolder than the rest, will utter a few low notes, not unlike the 

 plaintive cry of a turkey poult ; if this is answered from a di- 

 stance, or the birds are reassured by the total silence, the call is 

 changed to a loud piping whistle, of which the following stave 

 gives the nearest representation 1 can devise : — 



8 ve ... ... ... ... 



p ff»i»-|» -*-*-#■ #£-*-*- 



-™ =+- -T -~ -r- ■+- -+- -t- ■+- ■+- 



T ~ [j~r = 



=t=t=t 



:i=4=J=- 



ttt- -t 





-Ir-r^- 



ere - seen - do. 



and the birds once more sally out from their concealment. I 

 am convinced that, like the Virginian quail, these birds possess 

 the power of ventriloquism in a great degree. I have often 

 listened to those in my aviary, and could have declared that the 

 calls proceeded from every part of the garden save that in which 

 the performers were located. They do not thrive well in confine- 

 ment, but exhibit the same wild and suspicious demeanour, 

 always hiding behind their feeding- troughs, or herding in corners. 

 If any object approaches too closely and alarms them, they rise 

 suddenly from the ground with a violent spring, and unless the 

 roof is placed at a considerable altitude, dash their heads against 

 it and fall lifeless to the ground. 



They fly with great rapidity, but prefer to take refuge in con- 

 cealment rather than maintain a lengthened flight. One which 

 escaped from a basket in my house flew up to the roof and 

 through the ventilating holes, but instead of continuing on the 

 wing at the elevation it had attained, it dropped instantly into a 

 small copse, out of which it was hunted with much difficulty, 

 when it darted through an open door into my kitchen and con- 

 cealed itself behind a box. 



The males are very pugilistic, and in their manner of fighting 

 reminded me of the game cock, depressing and elevating the 

 head, imitating each other's actions, &c. &c. 



Of its nidification nothing is known. 



The wretched figure of a " Rail," in ' Brown's Illustrations,' is, 

 I am certain, meant for a female of this species ; Mr. Strickland 

 agreed with me in thus thinking. 



