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



and northern parts of the island than in the more cultivated south 

 and west. 



Ceylon, India. 



217. Gallus stanleyi, Gray. 



The Ceylon Jungle-fowl is remarkable not only for being peculiar 

 to the island, but also for being common in all parts of it where the 

 country is uncultivated and there is jungle of a moderate height. 

 Although especially abundant in the low country, it is often very 

 numerous even on the upper hills, and is attracted to the particular 

 localities where the " nilloo," the native name for some species of 

 Strobilanthes growing at 5000 feet and upwards, is at the time in 

 seed. I have entirely failed to discover that any thing is known 

 among botanists of the seeds of the Acanthacece possessing narcotic 

 or other poisonous properties ; but it is well known that the Jungle- 

 fowl after feeding for a time among the nilloo become partially blind 

 or stupified, so that they may frequently be knocked down with a 

 stick. This stupefaction is generally attributed to the nilloo-seeds, 

 which are so largely eaten by these birds ; but in the absence of 

 any known poisonous properties in these seeds, it appears possible 

 that the birds may really suffer from devouring some fungus or 

 other plant found in the damp woods where the nilloo grows. 



At daybreak the crow of the Jungle-cock is first heard ; and for 

 an hour or two after sunrise, if the birds are at all numerous, they 

 may be heard challenging each other on all sides. On these occa- 

 sions a successful shot may sometimes be obtained by remaining 

 perfectly still between two birds which are challenging and gradually 

 approaching each other. Some of the native hunters are very ex- 

 pert in calling the Jungle-cocks, by beating on a loose fold of their 

 cloth, so as to produce an imitation of the sound of a bird's wings 

 just as it is alighting : no time must be lost with the gun on these 

 occasions, as the cocks discover the deception the moment they get 

 sight of you, and instantly run off with drooping tails like Pheasants. 

 It is not difficult in favourable jungle to approach a calling bird 

 within easy shot ; and under these circumstances I have generally 

 found the cock strutting up and down a low horizontal branch of a 

 tree, raising and lowering its head, and every now and then giving 

 utterance to its peculiar crow, which has been likened to the sound 

 of " George Joyce." When the bird is tolerably close, the syllable 

 " ek " is heard preceding those two sounds, which are so familiar to 

 persons who have been wandering in the jungles of Ceylon. In 

 some of the wilder jungle-roads, a cock and hen may sometimes be 

 seen feeding together ; but generally the hens are very shy, and not 

 many of them are killed. 



Mr. Layard tells me that there is no doubt about this Jungle- 

 fowl sometimes breeding with the domestic poultry in the native 

 villages. I have seen young Jungle-fowl, which had beeu hatched 

 under domestic hens, running about with the other chickens ; but 

 they were always rather wild and invariably roosted out of doors ; 

 and those which were not sooner or later killed by some accident, 



