1872.] MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 429 



dance at Nuvvara Eliya ; " but I have never seen it on the hills, and 

 I have no doubt that Chrysocolaptes strickl andi, another red-backed 

 Woodpecker already noticed, was mistaken by Dr. Kelaart for this 

 species. This bird especially frequents the cocoanut-trees, and is a 

 conspicuous object as it works its way by rapid jerks up the slender 

 trunks of these palms. The natives in the south call it the " Toddy- 

 bird," and say it visits the palms for the sake of the toddy, which is 

 largely collected in that and some other parts of the island. The 

 insects feeding en the toddy are no doubt the real attraction. Its 

 principal food is ants, as is the case with all the low- country Wood- 

 peckers, their stomachs being always found more or less crammed 

 with these ubiquitous and troublesome insects. Both sexes have 

 the red occipital crest ; but the male has the top of the head sprinkled 

 with the same colour, whilst the female has that part spotted with 

 white. 



Bill slate ; hides red ; feet pale greenish. 



Ceylon. 



75. Megalaima zeylanica, Gmel. 



Peculiar to Ceylon. This bird is closely allied to M. caniceps, 

 Franklin, and is noticed under that name by Layard ; but it is a 

 smaller bird, with the anterior portion of its plumage much browner, 

 and the lighter markings reduced in size and distinctness. It is 

 common in the low country, except in the north. I have never seen 

 or heard it in the Aripo district ; and it does not ascend above the 

 lower hills. The flight of this bird is straight, but rather heavy. 

 It feeds on berries, and may be often seen clinging to the smaller 

 twigs on the outside of a tree whilst eating the fruit which grows at 

 their extremities. 



Bill dull orange ; hides brown ; orbits yellow ; feet yellow. 



Ceylon. 



76. Megalaima flavifrons, Cuvier. 



Peculiar to Ceylon. It is not confined to the hills, as stated by 

 Layard, but is exceedingly abundant even close to Colombo, and 

 ranges from near the coast to an elevation of 5000 feet. It is the 

 only Barbet I have seen so high ; and I have not observed it there 

 except during the N.E. monsoon, a time at which there is a great 

 influx of migratory birds and of low-country species to the hills. I 

 have not seen it in the north ; and it is not so numerous as the last 

 species in the extreme south of the island. At the village of He- 

 neratgodde, about 17 miles from Colombo, in a district abounding 

 with native gardens, cocoanut-topes, and paddy-fields, and where I 

 have collected a great variety of birds, the air used to resound with 

 the loud notes of this and the preceding species of Barbet, a partial 

 silence only occurring for an hour or two during the extreme heat of 

 the day. M. flavifrons is a more sprightly bird than M. zeylanica, 

 and can be readily distinguished from it when on the wing. 



Bill horny yellow ; irides red-brown ; feet dark grey. 



Ceylon. 



