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



able to get sight of them. The specimens I obtained were appa- 

 rently not quite mature, as the blue of the underparts was not uni- 

 formly developed ; otherwise they were in good feather, and enable 

 me to give a description of the species. 



Whole head and neck rich deep chestnut ; back, tail, and under- 

 parts (in adults) bright cobalt-blue, the tail-feathers tipped and more 

 or less margined externally with white ; quills light chestnut on the 

 outer webs, black on the inner. 



Bill red (adult), tipped black (young) ; irides light brown ; feet 

 coral-red. 



Ceylon hills. 



186. ACRIDOTHERES TRISTIS, Linn. 



Very common in the low country, and generally distributed. They 

 were very numerous at Aripo ; and a young bird brought to me by 

 some natives soon became tame enough to be allowed its liberty in the 

 house, sometimes escaping through the window to the adjoining 

 trees, but always allowing itself to be caught, or going into its cage 

 when held up to it. It became rather troublesome at last from its 

 fondness for standing on the top of my head or perching on my hand 

 when I was writing or engaged in some other work at the table. 



Ceylon specimens are much darker than those obtained in India. 



Bill yellow ; orbits yellow ; irides dark brown ; feet pale yellow. 



Ceylon, India, Assam, Burmah. 



187. Temenxjchus pagodarum, Gmel. 



Obtained by Layard in the north of the island, and by Kelaart at 

 Trincomalie. 

 Ceylon, India. 



188. Temenxjchus senex, Temm. 



Peculiar to Ceylon ; described by Layard as T. albofrontatus, as 

 it was believed to be new ; it has since been recognized as T. senex, 

 Temm., erroneously described by Bonaparte as from Bengal Several 

 specimens have been received by Lord Walden, of which, however, 

 only one has the head entirely grey, the true character of T. senex. 

 Layard gives the following description of his bird, which is now in 

 the British Museum : — 



" General colour of back, tail, and wings black with a green gloss ; 

 forehead albescent ; hinder feathers of crest brownish black with 

 albescent shafts ; general colour of breast, throat, vent, and under 

 tail-coverts albescent, the shafts of the feathers on the throat shining 

 white." 



It is, I believe, from the lower hills, and appears to be rather a 

 local species. 



Ceylon. 



189. Pastor roseus, Linn. 



Layard " found large flocks of these birds " quite at the north of 

 the island in July, but did not see them afterwards. They have also 



