OEIOLUS MELAXOCEPHALUS. 359 



the cultivated portions of the interior and on the sea-board, and in the Galle district retires inland during the 

 rains of the south-west monsoon. In the arid country between Haputale and the sea it is mostly confined to 

 the forest on the rivers. On the Kandy side it is noticeable chiefly in Dumbara and the open valleys through 

 which flow the numerous affluents of the Mahawelliganga. 



In India this species is found throughout the greater part of the peninsula from Bengal southwards. 

 Jerdon writes of the race which he styles 0. ceylonensis , that it is found in Southern India, being common 

 on the Malabar coast, comparatively rare in the Carnatic, and almost unknown in the bare Deccan. On 

 the western confines of this district, however, it has been found by Mr. Fail-bank, who records it from 

 " Konkan and the western declivities of the Sahyadris, from Khandola to Goa." There are specimens in 

 the British Museum from Madras, where it is said to be common. As the examples above cited from Behar 

 belong to this species it may be presumed that the Oriole which Mr. Ball says is common in Chota Nagpur 

 belongs to the scantily marked form and not to that which inhabits the sub-Himalayan region. Passing over 

 Pegu, in going eastward of Bengal, we find it again in Tenasserim, whence comes one of the specimens enume- 

 rated in the above table. Mr. Hume says that it " extends through the Province as far south as Mergui, but 

 is rare south of Tavoy." I conclude the birds spoken of are the same as the example cited. In the Andamans 

 Mr. Davison says it is a seasonal visitant, leaving them in October and returning in March. 



Habits.- — This showy bird, which is one of the ornaments of Ceylonese cultivated nature, frequents open 

 paddy-lands studded with woods, detached groves, wooded compounds, the interior of forests in the dry parts 

 of the island, and the borders of rivers and large tanks. Being a tame species, it dwells much in the proximity 

 of houses, and remains perched sometimes on the top of a prominent tree, repeating its well-known note, 

 ko-ko-wak, which it also utters on the wing. It has considerable powers of flight, progressing with alternate 

 beating and closing of the wings. Its food consists chiefly of fruits and seeds of jungle-trees, and it consumes 

 largely the berries of the Lantana. The Oriole is almost universally styled the " Mango-bird " by Europeans 

 on account of its yellow plumage ; but I imagine the name was imported from India in the first instance. 

 It is a well-known species in the western parts of the island to sportsmen, and often pays with its life the penaltv 

 usually imposed upon the unfortunate members of the feathered creation who, unhappily for themselves, are 

 arrayed iu more gorgeous dress than their fellows. The first shot fired in the dawn at the much sought after 

 " Kaswatua " * usually arouses the Oriole, and cuts short the morning preening of his yellow dress, frightening 

 him across the misty paddy-field, out of which the Snipe are getting up before the sportsman's gun. When 

 thus frightened it does not fly far, but quickly settles in some thickly foliaged tree and gives out its not 

 unmelodious whistle. It is not a sociable bird, although two or more are often seen not far from each other, 

 and occasionally I have aroused a pair from the same tree. 



Concerning its habits in India Jerdon writes : — "It frequents both forests, gardens, and groves. It is a 

 lively and noisy bird, constantly flying from tree to tree, and uttering its loud mellow whistle, which 

 Sundevall has put into musical form. It feeds chiefly on fruit, especially on the figs of the Banian, Peepal, 

 and other Fici, and it is said also to eat blossoms and buds." 



Nidification. — The " Mango-bird " breeds, on the western side of the island, during the first six months 

 of the year, the favourite time being March and April. Iu the north-east I have found its nest in December. 

 It builds at the fork of a horizontal branch some distance out and high above the ground, suspending its 

 nest by twining the material of the top round the branches. The nest is variable in construction, but is 

 generally large and loose, composed of grass, bark, and small twigs, ornamented with lichens and bleached 

 leaves. The eggs are usually three in number, pointed ovals in shape, and some so much so that they 

 might be called pyriform ; the texture is smooth and the ground-colour pinkish white, sparsely spotted 

 and blotched with openly distributed smooth-edged markings of reddish brown, umber, and purplish black. 

 In some eggs the markings are more confined to the large end than iu others, and in one or two I 

 have seen sundry hieroglyphic-like spots. Mr. Hume remarks, in 'Nests aud Eggs/ that "the dark 

 spots are not unfrequently more or less enveloped in a reddish-pink nimbus." The average dimensions 

 are 12 by 0'82 inch. 



* Native name for Snipe. 



