180 



ZOOLOGY. 



[PART II. 



NOTE. 



The following is a list of the birds which are, as far as is at 

 present known, peculiar to the island ; it will probably at some 

 future day be determined that some included in it have a wider 

 geographical range. 



Haematornis spilogaster. The " Ceylon 

 eagle;" was discovered by Mr. La- 

 yard in the Wanny, and by Dr. 

 Kelaart at Trincomalie. 



Athene castonotus. The chestnut-wing- 

 ed hawk owl. This pretty little 

 owl was added to the list of Ceylon 

 birds by Dr. Templeton. 



Batrachostomus monoliger. The oil bird ; 

 was discovered amongst the precipi- 

 tous rocks of the Adam's Peak range 

 by Mr. Layard. Another speci- 

 men was sent about the same time 

 to Sir James Emerson Tennent 

 from Avisavelle. Mr. Mitford has 

 met with it at Ratnapoora. 



Caprimulgus Kelaarti. Kelaart's night- 

 jar ; swarms on the marshy plains 

 of Neuera-ellia at dusk. 



Hirundo hyperythra. The red-bellied 

 swallow ; was discovered in 1849 

 by Mr. Layard at Ambepusse. 

 They build a globular nest with a 

 round hole at top. A pair built in 

 the ring for a hanging lamp in Dr. 

 Gardner's study at Peradenia, and 

 hatched their young, undisturbed 

 by the daily trimming and lighting 

 of the lamp. 



Cisticola omalura. Layard's mountain 

 grass warbler ; is found in abundance 

 on Horton Plain and Neuera-ellia, 

 among the long Patena grass. 



Drymoica valida. Layard's wren-war- 

 bler; frequents tufts of grass and 

 low bushes, feeding on insects. 



Pratincola atrata. The Neuera-ellia 

 robin ; a melodious songster ; added 

 to our catalogue by Dr. Kelaart. 



Brachypteryx PalliserL Ant thrush. A 

 rare bird, added by Dr. Kelaart 

 from Dimboola and Neuera-ellia. 



Pellorneum fuscocapillum. Mr, Layard 

 found two specimens of this rare 

 thrush creeping about shrubs and 

 bushes, feeding on insects. 



Alcippe nigrifrons. This thrush fre- 

 quents low impenetrable thickets, 

 and seems to be widely distributed. 



Oreocincla spiloptera. The spotted 

 thrush is only found in the moun- 

 tain zone about lofty trees. 



MerulaKinnisii. The Neuera-ellia black- 

 bird ; was added by Dr. Kelaart. 



Garrulax cinereifrons. The ashy-headed 

 babbler; was found by Mr. Layard 

 near Katnapoora. 



Pomatorhinus melanurus. Mr. Layard 

 states that the mountain babbler 

 frequents low, scraggy.impenetrable 

 brush, along the margins of deserted 

 cheena land. 



Malacocercus rufescens. The red-dung 

 thrush added by Dr. Templeton 

 to the Singhalese Fauna, is found 

 in thick jungle in the southern and 

 midland districts. 



Pycnonotus penicillatus. The yellow- 

 eared bulbul; was found by Dr. 

 Kelaart at Neuera-ellia. 



Butalis Muttui. This very handsome 

 flycatcher was procured at Point 

 Pedro, by Mr. Layard. 



Dicrums edoliformis. Dr. Templeton 

 found this kingcrow at the Bibloo 

 Oya. Mr. Layard has since got it 

 at Ambogammoa. 



Dicrurus leucopygialis. The Ceylon 

 kingcrow was sent to Mr. Blyth 

 from the vicinity of Colombo, by 

 Dr. Templeton. 



Tephrodornis affinis. The Ceylon 

 butcher-bird. A migratory species 

 found in the wooded grass lauds in 

 October. 



Cissa puella. Layard's mountain jay. 

 A most lovely bird, found along 

 mountain streams at Neuera-ellia 

 and elsewhere. 



Eulabes ptilogenys. Templeton's my- 

 nah. The largest and most beau- 

 tiful of the species. It is found in 

 flocks perching on the highest trees, 

 feeding on berries. 



Loriculus asiaticus. The small parro- 

 quet, abundant in various dis- 

 tricts. 



Palaeornis Calthropse. Layard's purple- 

 headed parroquet, found at Kandy, 

 is a very handsome bird, flying in 

 flocks, and resting on the summits 

 of the very highest trees. Dr. 

 Kelaart states that it is the only 

 parroquet of the Ncuera-cllia range. 



