Mr. E. L. Layard on the Ornithology of Ceylon, 175 



ended in the vanquished bird retreating from the spot with shrill 

 piping cries, while the conqueror would take up his position upon 

 a flower or stem, and swinging his Httle body to and fro, till 

 his coat of burnished steel gleamed and glistened in the sun, 

 pour out his note of triumph. All this time the wings were ex- 

 panded and closed alternately, every jerk of the body in N. Asia- 

 tica and N. Lotenia disclosing the brilliant yellow plumelets on 

 either side of the breast. 



N. Zeylonica is abundant in the southern and midland di- 

 stricts, but is rare in the north, where it is replaced by 



60. Nectarinia minima, Sykes. 



I never could ascertain to my satisfaction the nest of these 

 species, but believe them to be similar to those of the following. 



61. Nectarinia Lotenia, Linn. 



This species is exceedingly plentiful in the southern and mid- 

 land districts ; it is not so common in the north as 



63. Nectarinia Asiatica. 



The nests of these latter two are elegant domed structures, 

 generally suspended from the extremity of a tw*ig of some low 

 bush artfully covered with cobweb, in which I have often seen 

 the spider still wea\-ing her toils, having extended the web to 

 the surrounding branches, thus rendering the deception still 

 more effective ; and it would seem that the birds were aware of 

 it and left their helper undisturbed. 



The entrance to the nest, which, if built in a bush, is always 

 turned inwards, is screened from the sun and rain by a portico 

 projecting often above an inch beyond the walls. The eggs 

 usually are from two to four, of a whitish ground colour, so 

 closely speckled with minute dusky spots as to appear gray. 

 They weigh from 3i. gr. 1 . to 9i. gr. 6, while the parent bird is 

 only 5ii« heavier. The young males are clad in the livery of the 

 female, but at the first moult assume their proper garb, the 

 brilliant metalHc hues fii'st appearing in a long line down the 

 breast. 



63. DicEUM TicKELLi, Blyth. 



This, the smallest of our feathered tribes, is plentiful among 

 parasitic plants wherever found, but it especially delights to feed 

 on the white viscid berries of a misletoe ? which flourishes on 

 the Sooria {Hibiscus) trees, and I believe it is by theii* means 

 that the plant is propagated, the seeds passing undigested 



