ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM COCOAWATTE ESTATE. 295 



collectors. It can only have escaped notice by its resemblance to 

 Alcedo bengalensis, causing it to be mistaken for the commoner 

 species. 



43. Pelargopsis gurial, Pearson, the Indian Stork-billed King- 

 fisher, — Common ; have seen it as high as 3,500 feet. 



44. Halcyon smp-nensis, Linn., the White -breasted Kingfisher. — 

 Very common. Took numerous nests in May and June. Five was the 

 largest clutch I obtained ; in several cases four and three eggs were 

 partially incubated, while one nest contained only one young one. 



45. Cet/x tridactyla, Pall., the Indian three-toed Kingfisher. — 

 Occurs sparingly on lonely streams and water courses here up to 

 2,000 feet. During the last year I have obtained three beautiful 

 specimens, a male and two females, and seen half a dozen others. A 

 female killed on March 3rd, 1895, would probably have bred in May. 

 To my mind this is the most lovely bird in Ceylon ; flitting down stream 

 in the sunlight it is a very gem of colour. After heavy rain, when 

 the streams it frequents are in " spate," Ceyx tridactyla may be 

 occasionally met with in jungle at some distance from water. 



46. Merops pMUppinus, Linn.j the Blue -tailed Bee-eater. — Very 

 common during the N,-E. monsoon, but almost entirely disappears 

 before the hot months of June to August. 



47. Merops viridis, Linn., the Green Bee-eater. — Common at 

 1,000 feet all the year round; never seen it higher. 



48. Merops siomhoei^ Hume, the Chesnut-headed Bee-eater. — 

 Fairly common all the year. On April 1 9th I noticed a single bird 

 sitting on a tree, and guessing it to be a cock with a hen sitting 

 somewhere near, instituted a search and found a nest hole in a red 

 sandy bank in the tea. This I dug out with my shikar knife, and 4 feet 

 in came upon a female M. sivinhoei, and five beautiful fresh eggs. 



49. Chcetura gigantea, Temm., the Brown-necked Spine-tail.— I 

 occasionally see a few in this valley after rain, but they always fly high, 

 and I have not procured specimens. 



50. Cypselus melhaj Linn., the Alpine Swift. — Same remarks 

 apply. 



51. Cypselus affinis., Gray, the Indian Swift. — Always some 

 about after rain, but it does not breed here. 



52. Cypselus batassiensisj Gray, the Palm Swift. — Very common. 

 I noticed a colony of four or five pairs evidently breeding in the large 



