420 MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. [Mar. 5, 



the summer months, I have no doubt it is a resident species. It 

 has been met with in other parts of the island, but is local. I have 

 not observed it on the upper hills. 

 Ceylon, India. 



41. Cypseltjs batassiensis, Gray. 



Very common in the low country and particularly abundant in the 

 north, where the palmyra is the common palm, on which it builds 

 its nest. I have not observed this bird at Nuwara Eliya, but. have 

 known the following species sometimes mistaken for it there. 



Bill black ; irides brown ; feet brownish. 



Ceylon, India, Assam, Burmah. 



42. Collocalia fuciphaga, Thunberg (1/72). 



There are several localities in Ceylon in which this little Swift has 

 been known to breed ; and Layard has given a good description of one 

 which he visited. These breeding-stations are at various elevations, 

 from close to the sea to the highest hills. Kelaart states that he has 

 " heard from very good authority that some years ago baskets of the 

 edible nests were obtained from a cave on the Pedrotallagalla hill. 

 Very nutritious soup was made of them for the invalids who at that 

 time resided at Nuwara Eliya." This hill is the highest (8200) in 

 Ceylon and overlooks the still all-important sanatorium ; but I could 

 not ascertain the situation of the cave. The birds, however, are 

 numerous at Nuwara Eliya in winter ; and I have obtained specimens 

 there, as well as in the low country between Colombo and Kandy. 



Bill black ; irides dark brown ; feet purple-brown. 



Ceylon, N. and S. India, Assam, Malay islands. 



43. Dendrochelidon coronatus, Tickell. 



Layard says this species is generally distributed ; but I have only 

 seen it between Colombo and Kandy and in the south. I shot a pair 

 of these birds near Colombo at the end of May, and have seen it in 

 abundance in Kandy itself in March. I think there is little doubt 

 that it is a resident, although perhaps migrating from one part of the 

 island to another. I have neither seen nor heard of it at Aripo or 

 Nuwara Eliya. 



Bill black ; irides dark brown ; feet bluish black. 



Ceylon, S. and Central India, Pegu. 



44. Batrachostomus moniliger, Blyth. 



I have only seen one skin of this curious bird. It was procured 

 by Mr. H. Nevill close to Amblangodde Lake, a few miles north of 

 Galle. I was shown the spot where it was killed — a small piece of 

 recently cleared land nearly surrounded by rather low jungle. The 

 species has been but rarely met with, and, so far as is known, is con- 

 fined to the south-west of the island, in the country lying between 

 Adam's Peak and Galle. 



Mr. Blyth tells me that Jerdon's description of this species was 



