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



birds in each of the nests procured by me, and that I have lately 

 received a single fresh egg from Diagallagoolawa taken in the 

 month of February. It weighed 9ii, and was of a spotless white, 

 slightly tapering at one end. 



41. ACANTHYLIS CAUDACUTA, Lath. 



This splendid swift is confined to Nuwera Elia. I have not 

 seen it myself in its haunts, but received it from friends, who tell 

 me it flies with immense rapidity, its wings causing a rushing 

 noise as it darts through the air. The natives report that they 

 build in hollow Rhododendron trees. 



43. HiRUNDO GUTTUEALIS, ScOp. 



Common throughout the island, arriving in Colombo about 

 the end of September. 



43. HiRUNDO HYPERYTHRA, Layard. 



I first discovered this species in November 1849 at Ambepusse, 

 on the road to Kandy. I have since seen them at Putlam, up 

 the Central road as far as the hills extend, at Ambegamoa, and 

 up the Caltura river from Perth sugar estate to Ratnapoora and 

 Adam's Peak. They breed in caverns and under bridges, and 

 build a nest of mud attached to the roofs. The general shape 

 and size is that of a small basin, with a round entrance hole at 

 the top. The lining is composed of fine hay and feathers, and 

 the eggs are laid in March. The late Dr. Gardner informed me 

 that a pair built their nest on a ring supporting a hanging lamp, 

 nightly used in his sitting-room. They securely hatched their 

 eggs, unscared by the cleaning or lighting of the lamp, and the 

 young birds returned to the nest every night for about a month 

 after being fully fledged. 



44. HiRUNDO DOMicoLA, Jerdon. 



Found by Dr. Kelaart at Nuwera Elia breeding in the Euro- 

 pean houses. It appears to be confined to that locahty ; the eggs, 

 four in number, precisely resemble those of the European spe- 

 cies except in size. 



45. HiRUNDO Daurica, Linn. 



I found one of these birds in the village of Pt. Pedro in De- 

 cember : it had probably been driven over from the opposite 

 coast by stress of weather : it was hawking about the street. I 

 fired at, and wounded it, but it flew away. Next day it was 

 again in the same place, and I succeeded in killing it, and I 

 found the shot of the previous day had broken a leg. 



