18/2.] MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 423 



sailing back on outstretched wings to its favourite station on the dead 

 branch of some neighbouring tree, where the insect is killed and 

 swallowed. In the early mornings of March, when there has been 

 but little wind stirring, and the sea was as smooth as glass, I have 

 frequently observed these Bee-eaters hunting for insects close to the 

 surface, and a quarter of a mile from the shore. I have noticed 

 this bird frequently at Colombo, but only in small parties. At 

 Aripo I have often seen sixty or seventy on the same tree ; in fact, 

 during its stay in Ceylon, it is more numerous there than the resi- 

 dent species. 



Bill black ; irides blood-red ; feet lead-colour. 



Ceylon, India, Burmah, Malaya. 



51. Merops auiNTicoLOR, Vieill. 



This is a hill-species, and a resident in Ceylon. I have shot it in 

 August at the foot of the hills in the south, and I have frequently 

 seen it on the lower hills in the neighbourhood of Kandy ; but it is 

 nowhere so numerous as either of the preceding species, and is ge- 

 nerally seen singly or in pairs. I have not observed it on the upper 

 hills. Of two Ceylon specimens, with the chestnut border to the 

 black throat-band, one has the tail entirely green, and the other 

 with the central feathers blue. 



Bill black ; irides blood-red ; feet lead-colour. 



Ceylon, India, Burmah. 



52. Coracias indica, Linn. 



This bird, although undoubtedly locally common in the north of 

 Ceylon, has never come under my notice in the jungly district of 

 Aripo ; nor have I seen it in the south of the island. In the 

 country between Colombo and Kandy, however, I have frequently 

 met with it ; and its often noticed habit of perching on the top of a 

 bare pole or the stem of a dead tree is also characteristic of the bird 

 in Ceylon. Its flight is regular and crow-like ; but when perched its 

 head is sunk on its shoulders, giving the bird a remarkably clumsy 

 appearance, as is also the case with the Bee-eaters when not on the 

 wing. 



Bill blackish ; irides dark brown ; feet fleshy yellow. 



Ceylon and the greater part of India. 



53. Eurystomus orientalis, Linn. 



Layard met with three examples of this bird ; but it has never 

 come under my notice. 



Ceylon, northern half of India, Burmah, Malaya, China. 



54. Pelargopsis gurial, Pearson. 



The synonymy of this bird has been much confused. It is men- 

 tioned by Layard under the name of Halcyon capensis, Linn., and 

 is described by Jerdon under the heading of II. leucocephala, Gmel. 

 Mr. R. B. Sharpe (P. Z. S. 1870), however, has worked out the 



