\X11 



INTRODUCTION. 



the south-west. Instances of such birds are to be found in the Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone 

 parodist) and the Indian Sky-Lark (Alauda gulgula), which latter bird is found during the south- 

 west monsoon in numbers at the tank-meadows in the northern forests, while the former (in the 

 red stage) inhabits both the northern and south-eastern forest-tracts. Species that move away 

 from the immediate western sea-board are Dendrochelidon coronata, Eudynamys honorata, Tham- 

 vobia fulicata, Tephrodomis pondicerianw, and Parus cinereus ; but a few miles inland, in 

 sheltered spots, these birds may be found all the year through, except perhaps the latter, whicli 

 must be classed as an uncertain N.E. monsoon visitant to the maritime districts of the Western 

 Province. 



In the mountains the movements of the hill species are very noticeable in those districts 

 west of Nuwara Eliya which are exposed to the violent winds and rain which accompany 

 the incoming of the monsoon in May. The Hill-Myna (Eidabes ptilogenys), the Blue 'lit 

 (Parus atriceps), the handsome Torrington Wood-Pigeon (Palumbus torringtonia 1 ), the large 

 Pulbul (Hypsipetes ganeesa), the Orange Minivet (Pericrocotus jlammeus), the Jay (Cissa 

 ornata), the Hill-Barbet (Megaloema flavifrons), the Jungle-fowl (Gat bus lafayettii), and the 

 Spur-fowl (Gallopcrdix bicalcarata) are among the more prominent species which appear in 

 the upper ranges (from 5000 to 8000 feet) as soon as the calm weather of the N.E. monsoon 

 has set in in November. 



At this season of the year also low-country birds, which, as a rule, only range into the 



hill-zones to an inconsiderable elevation, ascend to the upper hills. Artamus ftiscus, Oriolus 



melanocephalus, TJpupa ceylonensis, Pycnonotus hcemorrhous, Layardia rufescens, Terpsiphone 



paradisi, and Hypothymis ceylonensis are species which either occasionally ascend to altitudes 



above 5000 feet, or are found yearly in the upper zone during the N.E. monsoon. 



True Migrants. — The arrival of the migratory species, which takes place, as already 

 mentioned, at the termination of the S.W. monsoon, greatly adds to the avifauna of the island. 

 The Insessorial migrants consist chiefly of Muscicapida?, Laniidse, Motacillida>, and Sylviidse, 

 while the Grallatorial are made up of Scolopacidre and Charadriidse. The members of the first- 

 mentioned order are wholly migratory ; but certain species of the two latter remain to some 

 extent as non-breeding loiterers throughout the year. The following is a table of 



migrants :- 



AcCIMTKES. 



Baza lophotes. 

 Falco peregriuus. 

 Cercbueis aniurensis. 

 Circus terugiuosus. 

 Circus cineraceus. 

 Circus melauoleueus . 



PlCARI.Ti. 



*Cuculus cauorus. 



Cuculus micropfcerus. 



Cuculus polioceplialus. 



Cuculus passerinus. 

 *Cuculus maculatus. 



Hierococcyx varius. 



Coccystes coromandus. 



Merops pbilippinus. 



Insessores. 



Oriolus indicus. 

 Lauius cristatus. 

 Buchanga longicaudata. 



Alseouax latirostris. 

 tSiphia rubeeuloides. 



Muscicapa hyperythra. 

 *Cyauecula suecica. 



Larvivora brunnea- 



