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



It keeps in small parties, and has generally the habits of the other 

 Malacocerci. 



Bill dull orange ; irides white ; feet yellow. 



Ceylon. 



144. Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes. 



As H. neilgherriensis, Jerdon, is now united with H. ganeesa, 

 Sykes, the Ceylon birds will come under the latter title. 



This species in Ceylon is, I believe, confined to the hills, and is 

 most abundant at a moderate elevation. I have only seen it at 

 Nuwara Eliya in February ; but it is tolerably common in jungle from 

 the Kandy country to about 5000 feet. I have generally found it 

 in small parties on rather low trees. 



Ceylon, S. India. 



145. Criniger ictericus, Strickland. 



Layard says of this bird that it " abounds in the mountain zone." 

 This probably means the lower ranges, as he tells me he has never 

 visited the Nuwara-Eliya district, and he does not profess to know 

 the hill birds. Kelaart, on the other hand, who specially collected 

 the birds of the upper hills, says it is " a common species in the low 

 country-" I have no doubt Layard was right in suggesting that 

 Kelaart mistook the common Ixos luteolus for this species ; and this 

 is confirmed by Mr. Legge's observation that Criniger ictericus "is 

 strictly a jungle bird" (J. R. A. S., Ceylon Branch, 1870-71, p. 43). 

 Mr. Legge, however, whose knowledge of the low country at the time 

 he wrote was confined to the western province, says " Kelaart wrote 

 correctly of this bird;" but "a strictly jungle bird" can hardly be 

 described as common in a district principally consisting of paddy- 

 fields and cultivated land. 



I have only obtained this bird once in the neighbourhood of 

 Colombo, among trees in a native village ; it is most numerous in 

 forest country on the lower hills, as is the case with this species in 

 India. 



Bill black ; irides red ; feet dark leaden. 



Ceylon, Malabar. 



146. Ixos luteolus, Less. 



This bird, the Pycnonotus flavirictus of Strickland, is one of the 

 commonest species in the low country. It is eqnally abundant at 

 Aripo and Colombo wherever there are low bushes, and has a hurried 

 twittering song of a few notes, loud and frequently repeated. 



Bill black ; irides red ; feet blue-black. 



Ceylon, South and Central India. 



147. Kelaartia penicillata, Blyth. 



Very abundant at Nuwara Eliya and on the upper hills, frequenting 

 low bushes and thin jungle. 



The general colour of this bird is dark olive-green above and 

 greenish vellow below, brighter yellow on the throat, middle of 



