XANTHOPSIA 1LEMACEPHALA. 219 . 



in the south a few miles west of Tangalla, and extending round the east side of the island (including the 

 interior from the coast to the eastern slopes of Madulsima) to the extreme north. From the Jaffna peninsula 

 it inhabits the west coast as far south as Madampe, the limit of its range extending thence across the country 

 to Kurunegala, where it is very common. From Kurunegala it is found all along the base of the west Matale 

 hills to Nalanda, and round to Bintenne ; while all through the forests of the interior, stretching north of 

 Dambulla, it is common. From the lowlands below Madulsima it ascends into Uva, in which region it is 

 the prevalent small Barbet ; but it does not cross the Hakgala ridge, and, in fact, its numbers decrease gradually 

 to the west of the Badulla valley, and it is not very plentiful in the Uva patna basin. From Badulla it 

 extends round the base of the hills, being found up their slopes to a height of about 2000 feet to Maturata 

 and Hewahette, in which valley I have seen all four species together in the same ravine. In the north-east 

 monsoon it strays in small numbers into Kandy, and as far even as Peradeniya, in the gardens at which place 

 I have heard it in February. It is resident a Uttle to the east of Kandy, namely at Hangerankette. It will 

 be seen that the range of this bird in Ceylon is entirely determined by climate, and is one of the most interesting 

 of such cases to be found in the whole list of Ceylonese birds : the lower portions of the Kandy country towards 

 the east are dry, and there this little Barbet establishes itself, and in the dry season penetrates to the west 

 almost until it meets its fellows permanently residing in the low country of the North-west Province. The 

 distance between Peradeniya, the most westerly point at which I have observed these birds coming from the 

 east, to Kurunegala, where western birds are common, is not 20 miles in a direct line. I should not wonder if 

 it be found in this intervening space, should naturalists take the trouble to look for it. I have never heard it 

 myself at the back of Allegalla peak, and I do not know the low-lying cheena-hills between it and Galla- 

 gedera. 



Beyond the confines of Ceylon the Crimson-breasted Barbet has a wide range. Jerdon speaks thus of its 

 habitat : — " It is found throughout all India, extending into the Burmese countries, Malayana, and the isles." 

 In some of the latter regions it is perhaps as common as it is in India. Capt. Feilden and Mr. Oates speak of 

 it as common throughout Pegu, and Dr. Armstrong found it in abundance in thin forest-jungle in the Irra- 

 waddy delta. In Tenasserim it is recorded as common ; and Col. Tickell states that there appear to be two 

 races of it in that Province, one of which inhabits the dense lofty forests, and the other the open country and 

 villages, the two differing somewhat in voice. Mr. Davison procured it at Acheen. 



In Southern India I find that Mr. Bourdillon does not state it to be an inhabitant of the Travancore Hills ; 

 but Mr. Fairbank found it common up to 4000 feet in the Palanis, which form an eastern spur of the former 

 range, and are, I have no doubt, much drier. In Central India and Bengal it is widely distributed, extending 

 westwards into the Guzerat district, but not as far as Sindh, nor is it found in the Punjab or the Himalayas. 



Habits. — This quaint little bird, being an inveterate fruit-eater, is found in all localities where trees 

 affording it its favourite food are to be found. In the hills it affects scanty jungle and wooded ravines and 

 hollows ; but in the low country it is found, in addition to jungle, woods, groves, &c, in the gardens of the 

 natives and the grounds surrounding the bungalows of the Europeans. It was a constant resident in the Fort 

 at Trincomalie, and there I had much opportunity of observing its curious habits and manners. It appears 

 not to indulge much in its powers of wing, but is a quiet retiring little bird, taking up its abode in the shady 

 banyan or other such fruit-bearing monarch of the forest, and flying from branch to branch as it gorges 

 itself with the ripe berry. If disturbed it flies off a short distance, and sits on the top of a neighbouring 

 tree, twisting its head about and looking intensely stupid, until it suddenly remembers that its mate must be 

 somewhere near, and it then commences its singular metallic-sounding call, resembling the syllable ivonk-wonk- 

 wonk. This is slowly repeated, and sounds like the striking of a hollow copper vessel ; it is very distinct from 

 the quicker sharper ivok-wok-ivok of the Ceylonese Barbet. In the breeding-season it delivers this note from 

 morning to night, continuing it to a most monotonous extent without cessation : the pair sit close together, 

 and utter it in concert, each note being accompanied by an odd-looking combined forward and sideward jerk of 

 the head ; and as of course both birds do not move together, the sound appears to come from different directions. 

 I find that Sundevall takes another view of this curious effect ; he writes, as quoted by Jerdon, " the same 

 individual always utters the same note, but two are seldom heard to make it exactly alike. When, there- 

 fore, two or more birds are sitting near each other, a not unpleasant music arises from the alternation of the 



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