286 EUKYSTOMUS OEIENTALIS. 



the threat quite as blue as aCeylonese ; and aPinang example has a slight inclination towards the greenish edging 

 of the caudal feathers. It would seem that there are connecting-links between the two species. 



Distribution. — This handsome Roller is, almost without exception, the rarest resident form in Ceylon. 

 T conclude that it is resident, as the only two specimens I have ever met with, and both of which I failed in 

 shooting, were seen during the south-west monsoon. One was at Maha-oya, on the new Batticaloa Road, and 

 the other in Mr. Chas. de Soyza's timber-forest at Kuruwite, near Ratnapura. Layard remarks that but three 

 specimens fell under his notice, one of which he killed iu the Pasdun Korale, and the other two near Gilly- 

 nially. In the British Museum is an example from the collection of Mr. Cuming ; but the precise locality is 

 not stated. Another example was shot some years ago near Kandy, and preserved by Messrs. Whyte and Co. 

 In addition to these instances of its capture I am indebted to Mr. Delauey, of the Kirimattie Estate, near 

 Kadugannawa, for an account of three or four birds which visited the neighbourhood of his bungalow for 

 several days at the close of 1875, and after remaining about some tall trees, disappeared again; from his 

 description of these visitors, and observations which he made on their habits, they must have belonged to the 

 present species. 



In Southern India it appears to make its appearance in certain localities and then disappear again. 

 Mr. It. W. Morgan says that it is by no means rare in the Malabar forests, and he procured several specimens 

 at Nellumbore. Captain Vipan observed it near the foot of the Carcoor Ghat of the Nilghiris ; Mr. Bourdillon 

 remarks that it is nowhere abundant in the Travancore hills, and that it is, he thinks, only a visitor ; he has 

 observed it " in August, during the winter months, in April, and as late as May." Regarding its distribution 

 in the northern parts of India and elsewhere, Jerdon writes (loc. cit.) that "it is found at the base of the 

 Himalayas in Lower Bengal, Assam, and the Burmese countries, extending to Malayana aud China;" and he 

 further remarks that it is said to visit Central India in the cold weather. In Cachar, Mr. Inglis says it is not 

 uncommon and is a resident in that district; Mr. Oates records one specimen as being brought to him from 

 the Arrakan hills, and remarks that it occurs rarely in Pegu. From Tenasserim Mr. Hume notices it as 

 pi'ocurcd by Mr. Davison ; this gentleman writes to Mr. Hume that in the Andamans it is comparatively 

 common about Port Mouat, Mount Harriet, and other wooded places ; it has also been procured about Port 

 Blair from December until April. 



I have already remarked that specimens are in the British Museum from Pinang, Java, and Labuan, and 

 there is likewise an example from Negros, in the Philippines, which I cannot separate from Indian. It is said 

 to occur in Sumatra. Concerning Chinese individuals, the late Mr. Swinhoe writes (" Cat. Chinese Birds," 

 P. Z. S. 1871, p. 317) that they do not agree quite with specimens from Java, India, and Lombok ; and 

 therefore they are, as suggested by Blyth, referable to the nearly allied E. pacificus. 



Habits. — On both occasions that I met with this species, it was frequenting lofty dead trees, on the outer- 

 most branches of which it was perched. On the Maha-oya, the individual which I attempted to shoot flew 

 out of the tree and returned at once to its perch, which, being at the top of an enormous tree, was beyond 

 the range of my shot, and on my tiring a second time it flew off into the forest. In the distance it has the 

 appearance of a short-tailed Nightjar when perched, its short neck and broad bill giving it a curious outline. 

 Its flight has the same peculiar swerving or rolling character as that of the last genus, but in amodified degree. 

 Layard shot all his specimens in the act of tearing away the decayed wood round holes in trees; they clung 

 to the bark after the manner of Woodpeckers, and were probably seeking a situation to nest in; he found 

 their stomachs lull of wood-boring Coleoptera, swallowed whole, and he observed that they beat their food 

 against the bark before swallowing it. It is entirely a forest species, and is only found in regions which are 

 well-wooded throughout. Mr. Morgan writes that in the Malabar forests it may frequently be seen perched 

 on a lofty bamboo in the neighbourhood of some forest-stream, and that it is an exceedingly silent bird, sitting 

 for hours together on a twig, occasionally taking a short flight after some passing insect, but almost invariably, 

 unless disturbed, returning to the same perch. Blyth had one, which he kept in confinement for some time, 

 and which displayed the somewhat abnormal propensity of eating plaintains ; it devoured" them eagerly, and 

 would fly to him for one when he had it in his hand. The experience of Messrs. Motley and Dillwyn of it iu 

 the Malay Islands was that it is a most active and lively bird, haunting very tall jungle in parties of five or six 



