354 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



The following is a description and measurements of the above 

 taken while in the flesh : — 



? adult, Dickoya Estate, Dickoya, Ceylon, July 1877. 



Length, \\\ inches; wing", 8i ; expanse, 27^; tail, 3^; mid- 

 toe and claw, 1^ ; tarsus, 2 ; feathered to base of toes which 

 are covered with a few diffuse, white bristly hairs. 



Iris, dark brown ; bill, greenish white, with a dash of dark 

 brown on edge of upper mandible, and dark spot on the 

 nostrils. 



Feet, pale whitish green. Claws, pale ash ; ridges of the scuta? 

 of the toes of a darker green than the prevailing color. 



Face and forehead, dull white, with the exception of a dark 

 brown band or disc surrounding, the eye. A white band extends 

 from ear to ear under the chin. Outside of this a band of 

 brown completes the face. 



Occiput and nape, dark chestnut, with a prominent dull white 

 spot on back of head ; all the feathers having a terminal black 

 spot. The remainder of the upper parts or entire mantle, of 

 a light pale fulvous chestnut, the feathers being spotted, some 

 with one black spot, others with several like, and white spots 

 along the shafts. Tail, a lightly darker hue, with 9 dark brown 

 bands. The interscapular region is also of a slightly darker 

 hue than the rest of the mouth. 



Outer margin of all the wing-feathers light chestnut ; inner 

 web, greyish ash with 10 dark brown or black transverse bands. 

 False wing-feathers, white with black bands, chest and abdomen 

 and entire under parts, fulvous white, with small dark brown or 

 black spots. Tarsus without spots. 



This is the fourth specimen of phodilus ( adult), so far as I 

 know, recorded from Ceylon, and these have been found in the 

 localities widely apart, viz., Ratotta, Kandy, Dickoya and 

 Rakwana. In Mr. Hector's case the Paunt was captured with 

 three young ones in the nest. 



A. W. White. 



