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



sects and larvae, but never descending to bushes. It always ap- 

 pears in flocks, and when one bird flies off to another tree, the 

 whole party follow in succession. 



133. Campephaga Macei, Less. 



Found in the S. and W. provinces generally in pairs, but it is 

 decidedly a rare bird. I know nothing of its habits save that 

 it feeds on insects and utters a hoarse cackling note. I have 

 observed it much on dead trees. -^ 



a 



134. Campephaga Sykesi, Strick. •'** 



Is far more common than the preceding, and extends over the 

 whole island. Like C. Macei also it is only found in pairs, fre- 

 quenting high trees and avoiding the neighbourhood of habi- 

 tations : it feeds on insects. Irides dark hair-brown. 7 



tI 



135. Artamus fuscus, Vieill. '^'' 



The " wood-swallow " is a widely distributed but local species^ 

 small parties being found in various parts of Ceylon. These 

 parties generally consist of three or four families, each of which 

 has its own tree. When the nestlings have left their cradle they 

 may be seen sitting side by side on a branch, whilst the old birds 

 fly ofi" for insects and return to feed their offspring by turns. 

 Even after the young birds can shift for themselves they keep 

 up their gregarious habits, and return to their bough after each 

 hunting excursion. Their fellows receive them open-mouthed, 

 as if repelling the intrusion, but finally they all settle down in 

 good fellowship. The flight of this species is very elegant ; they 

 soar upwards to a great height, and then sail down again in 

 widening circles to the branch from which they started. They 

 build a cup nest, composed of fibres and grasses, in the heads of 

 cocoa-nut trees, on the base of the large fronds, but I never suc- 

 ceeded in getting the eggs. 



* 136. Edolius Paradiseus, Linn. 



I obtained this racket-tailed shrike in the jungles near Anara- 

 japoora, as detailed in a previous Number of this publication. 

 Mr. Blyth makes the following observations upon it : — " The 

 Edolius is also peculiar, and nearly resembles E. Paradiseus of 

 the Malay countries, but has the frontal crest more developed, 

 though much less so than in the Edolii we have seen from 

 S. India.'' 



This species seems confined to the jungles of the Wanny, and 

 to frequent lofty trees, amid the boughs of which they sing very 

 sweetly. 



