302 JO URNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. X. 



bush or hanging rope-like creeper, composed of green moss, fibres, 

 tendrils, etc., and decorated with cobweb, small white cocoons and such 

 like. Eggs two to three, fleshy-white with small reddish spots at large 

 end. Seen in the shade in jungle this bird appears a dull greyish-blue 

 and does not look nearly so pretty as it really is, till in a sally on 

 a passing insect it flutters out into a ray of sunshine, when it becomes 

 the " Azure " Flycatcher all over. 



72. CMkicapa ceylonensis^ Sharpe, the Grey-headed Flycatcher.- — 

 Common at 4,000 feet, but gets scarce lower down. The nests are little 

 moss watch-pockets, built against a tree or face of a rock. I took one 

 on May 6th with two fresh eggs ; though the nest had only been looked 

 at twice and not touched, it was apparently forsaken. I have only known 

 a few nests, but the bird seems to me a shy breeder, deserting readily, 

 although it is otherwise the very tamest of birds. I once watched a 

 pair frequenting a nest quite 50 feet from the ground on the trunk of a 

 huge tree ; all the other nests I have seen have been from 10 to 20 feet 

 high. 



73. Rhipidura alhifrontata^ Frankl., the White-fronted Fantail. — 

 Common. Breeds from March to May. Nearly always builds a second 

 nest quite close if the first is taken. I watched one pair this year 

 build their pretty little nest, and then, as Mrs. Fantail's expectations 

 were not fulfilled quite as soon as she had anticipated, they occupied the 

 interval in building a second nest on the next tree, which was ready 

 just in time for the event ; the first nest was left unused. 



1 have always found two or three eggs. The nest is a beautiful 

 little cup placed on a single thin branch, made of fine grass and wound 

 round and round outside with cobwebs until it appears quite greyish- 

 white. The birds relieve each other on the nest, as a fantail cannot 

 keep still for long under any circumstances. It is a plucky little bird, 

 and fearlessly attacks any larger species passing too close to its nest. 

 I have seen it go for that black marauder, the Malay eagle, in the 

 most determined way. 



There can hardly be a prettier sight than to see this bird fearlessly 

 settling on the head of an old bull buffalo — now balancing itself on the 

 big hairy ear and flirting its tail, till a sudden flap of the ear sends it 

 fluttering up into the air to resettle on one of the horns ; now hovering 

 round the great grim face, snapping up an insect here and there, and 



