1872.] MR. E.W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 433 



to the south of the island. It is found abundantly throughout the 

 year in the north ; and I have occasionally met with it near Colombo. 

 It is skulking in its habits, creeping rapidly through the low bushes, 

 and rarely exposing itself when it has once been alarmed. 



Bill apple-green; hides deep red, orbits cobalt; feet dark leaden. 



Ceylon, S. India. 



90. PhcenicophjEtjs pyrrhocephalus, Forst. 



This Cuckoo has hitherto been found only in Ceylon. It inhabits 

 tree-jungle in the low country near the foot of the hills. One spe- 

 cimen, alive but injured, was brought to me by some natives who had 

 caught it only a few miles from Colombo. I saw a second flying 

 across a road in the Central Province, and followed it for some dis- 

 tance through the jungle, but failed to obtain it. Its flight was 

 weak ; but it moved rapidly through the trees, half flying and half 

 hopping from branch to branch. Layard says the 'hides of this 

 Cuckoo are white ; but in the living bird (a male) I had they were 

 brown, and they are marked as of that colour in specimens in Lord 

 Walden's collection. 



Bill light apple-green above, bluish green below ; irides brown ; 

 orbital skin crimson ; feet dark leaden. 



Ceylon. 



91. Taccocua leschenaultii, Less. 



I am indebted to Mr. Forbes Laurie for the opportunitity of exa- 

 mining a male specimen of this fine Cuckoo, hitherto unknown in 

 Ceylon. He tells me it was obtained in the Doombera valley (1800 

 feet), not far from Kandy, that it came into his hands immediately 

 after it was shot, and he himself prepared the skin. As a S. -Indian 

 species it is likely to occur in Ceylon ; and the Doombera valley is 

 a wild district, from which I have known many of the rare and pecu- 

 liar Ceylon birds to have been obtained. 



Bill red, tip yellow ; irides reddish ; feet lead-colour. 



Ceylon, S. India. 



92. Centropus rtjfipennis, Illiger. 



Common generally in the low country. It was very abundant at 

 Aripo, feeding very much on the ground, where there was always a 

 large supply of grasshoppers. 



Bill black ; irides red ; feet black. 



Ceylon, India, Burmah, Malaya. 



93. Centropus chlororhynchus, Blyth. 



Peculiar to Ceylon, and, I believe, almost confined to the lower 

 hills in the Central district. I have only seen this bird alive on 

 one occasion, and then in thick jungle under trees. It is either 

 very scarce or escapes notice from its skulking habits. From C. 

 rufipennis it may always be distinguished by its green bill, if 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1872, No. XXVIII. 



