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



touches its perch, always the highest naked branch, its song 

 ceases, and it stands on the look-out ready for flight on the least 

 alarm. 



171. BucEROs GiNGALENsis, Shavv. Kandatta, Cing. 



The lesser " Horn-bill " is common in the Wanny about Ana- 

 rajahpoora and in the Mookalane jungles of the southern pro- 

 vince. It feeds on the tops of the loftiest trees upon fruits and 

 berries, which it swallows whole. 



It is a wary and shy bird, and although its presence is often 

 revealed by its loud harsh call, it rarely falls before the hunter's 

 gun, and the best way to procure it is to lie concealed near a tree 

 in fruit, if it be such it feeds upon. 



The irides are reddish, and when partly hidden by the long 

 stiff black eyelashes have a very peculiar appearance. 



In some specimens the bill is white, with a black patch extend- 

 ing from the naked space round the eye about three-fourths of 

 an inch along the lower half of the upper mandible : the bill 

 3| in. long. The three outer tail-feathers are white, the fourth 

 half black from the quill, the fifth black. The head has a rufous 

 tinge. 



In other specimens the head wants the rufous tinge, the first 

 tail-feather is white with the outer shaft black up two-thirds of 

 its length, and slightly tinged up one-third of the inner web ; 

 second and third feathers black on both sides up two-thirds of 

 their length ; fourth black up to an inch from the top ; fifth 

 black altogether. 



Bill 2^ in. long and black, with a white patch on the upper 

 mandible about \^ inch long, beginning about half an inch from 

 the base. 



This species ? is found in the southern province about the base 

 of the hills ; the former in the Anarajahpoora Wanny. 



172. BucERos Malabarica, Lath. 



B. Pica, Scop. ; B. violaceus, Wagl. ; B. intermedins, Blyth. 

 Errana-chundoo-cooroovi, Mai. ; lit. Double-billed bird. 

 Atta-kandatta, Cing. ; lit. Bone [atta) Kandatta, from the 

 bony structure of its bill. 



Not so generally distributed as the preceding, though enjoying 

 as wide a range. I have seen it at Tangalle and near Ft. Pedro. 

 It generally flies in large flocks, and seeks much of its subsist- 

 ence on the ground, to which I never saw B. Gingalensis resort. 

 In such situations I never could detect what it sought, but on 

 trees it feeds upon berries and fruits. To procure the latter, 

 when attached to a branch, it resorts to an odd expedient — the 



