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



152. Iora zeylonica, Gmel. 



This species is well known in the low country ; it is very abundant 

 at Aripo at all seasons, and almost as common about Colombo. It 

 breeds at Aripo at the end of the year ; and I have obtained it in 

 November with hardly a trace of green on the black back. Its notes 

 are very much varied ; and some of them sound as if uttered at a 

 considerable distance when the bird is really within a few yards. 



I regret that I did not know whilst I was in Ceylon of the question 

 as to /. typhia, Linn., being found in the south of India and Ceylon. 

 As I brought home no male specimens of Iora which were not in 

 such a state of plumage as to leave a doubt about their belonging 

 to I. zeylonica, I shall not include I. typhia among the Ceylon 

 species ; but I have a very strong impression, partly based on my 

 recollection of a pair of birds with dull green backs which for several 

 days frequented some shrubs close to a house where I was staying, 

 a few miles from Colombo, that I. typhia is found in Ceylon. I had 

 no doubt of it at the time, as the male of I. zeylonica should then 

 (February), according to my observations, have the back nearly or 

 entirely black. 



In case this paper should fall into the hands of any one collecting 

 in Ceylon, but who is not familiar with the distinctive characters of 

 the two species of Iora, I may mention that the females are at all 

 times practically alike. In the breeding-season the male of I. zeylo- 

 nica has the back entirely black or, more frequently, black and green 

 irregularly mixed, the colours being in patches and not generally 

 blending with each other ; at the same season the male of I. typhia 

 has the back wholly green, contrasting with the black wings, which 

 in both species have two white bars. A further distinction is said to 

 exist in the colour of the irides (this would hold good at all seasons), 

 those of I. zeylonica being grey and those of I. typhia light hazel ; 

 I can answer for the former being correct. 



Bill slate ; irides grey ; feet dull leaden. 



Ceylon, S. India. 



153. Irena ptjella, Latham. 



Layard and Kelaart have each recorded an example of this species, 

 both from near Kandy. 



Specimens of this bird from Ceylon are much desired for com- 

 parison with those from India. The male has the whole upper parts 

 and under tail-coverts bright cobalt-blue ; wings, tail, and lower 

 plumage deep velvet-black. The female is of a dull, slightly mottled 

 Antwerp blue throughout. (Jerdo7i.) 



Ceylon, Malabar, Assam, Arracan, Burmah. 



154. Oriolus indictjs, Jerd. 



I include this species of Oriole on the authority of Layard, who 

 speaks of a pair of these birds having been shot near Colombo, and 

 coming under his notice. 



Ceylon, India. 



