MEEOPS SWINHOII. 616 



in considerable numbers, wbile in other districts mere stragglers are met with. In the south it is common on 

 the Gindurah river, commencing above Baddegarua and extending up into the hills of the Hinedun Pattu ; it 

 likewise frequents the banks of the Kaluganga, Kelaniganga, and Maha-oya in the Western Province, and 

 is found here and there through Saffragam. To the north of these localities it is located about Kurunegala, 

 on the Deduru-oya, in the Puttalam district, and in isolated spots in the neighbourhood of Dambulla. 

 Mr. Parker has met with it in the Anaradjapura district, and it occurs sparingly throughout the northern 

 forests. I have seen it between Trincomalie and Mullaittivu, but I do not think it is to be found much to the 

 north of the latter place. In the Kandyan Province it is much more common than in most parts of the low 

 country, inhabiting the vale of Dumbara, Deltota, Nilambc, Maturatta, and Uva generally. It does not 

 ascend to the Nuwara-Elliya plateau. 



This species is found in most of the forest-districts of India, Burmah, and Tenasserim, inhabiting the 

 Andamans and extending to Pinang. Jerdou writes that it occurs in the Malabar forests and adjoining moun- 

 tains, and is not uncommon in the Wynaad and other elevated wooded districts. I notice that Mr. Bourdillon 

 did not procure it in the Travancore hills, nor Mr. Fairbank in the Palanis. The latter gentleman found it 

 on the sides and base of the Goa and Savant-Wade hills, and records it as an inhabitant of the entire west coast 

 as far north as Guzerat, whence, however, I do not observe that it has been procured. Capt. Marshall writes, 

 in ' The Ibis/ 1872, that it is found in the Doon and the Terai, and along the whole of the southern skirts of 

 the Himalayas to the valley of the Brahmapootra. In Chota Nagpur it is rare, Mr. Ball recording the 

 occurrence of a single pair only ; in Cachar it is migratory, being common during April and May : in Southern 

 Pegu it occurs very sparingly ; Mr. Armstrong met with it there in the month of February : at Thayetmyo 

 Captain Feilden says it is rare, and in the plains of Pegu Mr. Oafes did not meet with it at all. Mr. Davison 

 found it throughout Northern Tenasserim, and in the Andamans he procured many specimens, meeting with 

 it in Port Blair, Great and Little Cocos Islands, &c, but in the Nicobars it was not found. 



Habits. — The banks of rivers which flow through forest or the borders of jungle-begirt tanks are the 

 favourite localities of this bird in the low country. In the Central Province I have seen it principally in the 

 vicinity of rivers in the deep valleys leading to the Mahawelliganga, on roads leading through jungle, and in 

 spots studded with high trees on the sides of steep ravines. It is usually in pairs, and is very arboreal in its 

 habits, sitting on the topmost or most outstretching branches of high trees overhanging water, and darting 

 thence on its prey, much after the manner of a Flycatcher. It takes short flights, and often returns to the 

 same perch again. It is a very pretty object, with its bright green plumage and glistening rufous head, as it 

 darts from the fine old trees lining the forest-rivers down to the edge of the sparkling stream, and glides over 

 the sandy bed, quickly catching up some passing insect. A pair may sometimes be seen seated on a dead twig, 

 touching one another, so very sociable is it in its disposition. It has a soft note, differing from that of either 

 of the foregoing species, which it generally utters from its perch. 



Nidification. — I found the nest of this bird on the banks of the Gindurah in the month of April. The 

 hole was excavated in the soft mould near the top of the bank, went in about 2 feet, with an average diameter 

 of 2 inches, and at the end widened into a cavity 4 or 5 inches in height and nearly double that in width. 

 There were four young ones lying on the bare ground, which was swarming with living maggots, ants, and 

 flies, brought in for their food by the old birds. The nestlings showed a marked difference in age ; two were 

 perhaps not three days old, and the others had the green scapular feathers already sprouting. Layard found 

 the nest in the same month, and says the eggs are two in number. 



Mr. Davison writes that the hole is sometimes 6 feet in depth when excavated in sand, and that some turn 

 off at a right angle, while others take a circular direction. The eggs are stated to vary from four to six in 

 number, and to be pure white, very glossy, and nearly spherical in shape; they average 087 by 076 inch. 

 The old birds are said to sit very close, allowing themselves to be dug out. 



2 s 



