18/2.] MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 409 



Bay of Bengal ; and then very often there is stormy weather on the 

 Ceylon coast. At the first decided indication of the N.E. monsoon 

 setting in, the true migratory birds begin to appear ; they are gene- 

 rally first seen in the north and north-west of the island, and gra- 

 dually extend over the western side and to the hills. At the same 

 time there is a large influx of resident species to these parts of the 

 country, which during this N.E. monsoon are less exposed to the 

 violence of the wind than in the other season. There is no positive 

 evidence whence these birds come ; but I think there can be little 

 doubt that it is from the eastern side and some parts of the central 

 districts. Many of them are certainly found there during the S.W. 

 monsoon ; but no continuous observations have been made on the 

 eastern side, and there is little known of what resident Ceylon species 

 are to be met with there at any particular season. It being a great 

 game country, Europeans who visit the eastern jungles devote their 

 time more to sporting than to natural history. I may give an instance 

 showing that there must be a good deal yet to be done in certain parts 

 of the country. In February 18/1 I obtained at Nuwara Eliya two 

 specimens of a Flycatcher (Erythrosterna hyperythra) of which the 

 type specimen in the Berlin Museum, obtained in 1866, was the only 

 one known ; it came from the Ceylon hills ; but that species is certainly 

 not found in the hill districts during a great part of the year, and 

 yet it has not been observed elsewhere*. Towards the close of 

 February the N.E. monsoon comes to an end, and is followed by five 

 or six weeks of fine calm weather before the usually stormy burst of 

 the S.W. monsoon. The migratory birds now take their departure, 

 and many species resident in the island leave its western side. A 

 Tern, however, in immature plumage and believed to be Sterna gra- 

 cilis has orily been observed on the Ceylon coast in summer ; but as 

 the Ceylon summer is at the same time as the Australian winter, the 

 fact of this Tern being found at Colombo in July is an additional 

 reason for believing it to be that Australian species. I have also 

 only seen Frigate-birds during the summer ; but Mr. Layard has 

 recorded their occurrence in February. 



With respect to the breeding-season for Ceylon birds it is difficult 

 to fix any definite rule. The climate in the low country is always 

 hot and damp, and birds of some species or other are nesting 

 throughout the year. In many cases the breeding-time appears to 

 depend on the monsoons ; but I believe it often varies with the same 

 species in different parts of the island. On the upper hiils, where 

 there is the nearest approach to a cold season of any part of Ceylon, 

 and where the midday tropical heat is succeeded by cold nights and, 

 in January and February, by severe frost, the breeding-season follows 

 the rule in temperate climates and usually begins about April ; in 

 other parts of the country either nesting or moulting appears to be 

 always going on. 



From what I have said of the character of the country it will be 

 evident that Ceylon possesses, in its swamps, jungles, forests, rivers, 

 and coasts, the conditions suitable for the existence of a great variety 

 * See No. 127, footnote. 



