DISSEMURUS LOPHORHINUS. 397 



Young. Iris brown, gradually becoming reddish with age. The nestling is black, with but little of the metallic sheen ; 

 the outer tail-feathers not much elongated. Immature birds have the under tail- and under wing-coverts tipped 

 white ; the flanks pervaded with grey, and in some examples the lower parts faintly edged with white ; the under 

 wing-coverts retain their white markings after they have disappeared from the under tail-coverts, few specimens 

 being found without a few white terminal spots on the under wing. In this feature the genus Dissemurus is an 

 exact contrast to Buchanga. 



Obs. I have placed this species in the genus Dissemurus, from which it was removed by Mr. Sharpe, because the crest 

 resembles that of some of the local races of the next bird, and it does not seem advisable to establish a genus for 

 it simply because the outer tail-feathers are different from typical Dissemurus. The bird for which Mr. Hume 

 established his genus Dissemuroides has a " tuft of hair-like feathers on the forehead, springing from each side of 

 the base of the culmen," and therefore differs materially from the present species. Concerning the specific name 

 of lophorhinus used by Vieillot, I have perused carefully Levaillant's description of the Drongup in his ' Oiseaux 

 d'Afrique,' and likewise Vieillot's of the species to which he gave the Latin name in question ; and I think that 

 the latter was really referring to the Drongup. Levaillant says that his bird " est de la taille de notre draine, 

 vulgairement nominee hautegrive ;" and Vieillot uses words of similar meaning when he writes " a la taille de 

 la grive-draine." The plate of the Drongup is, it is true, as far as the head is concerned, a very grotesque 

 representation of our bird ; but it is perhaps as faithful as one could expect of any drawing in the ' Oiseaux 

 d'Afrique.' I may add that Mr. Sharpe now agrees with this view of the question, although he was of opinion, 

 at the time he wrote on this species (Cat. Birds, iii.), that Vieillot's description was that of a Madagascar bird, 

 D. forficatus. 



Distribution. — The stronghold of this fine Drongo consists of the Western Province and the south-west 

 corner of the island, including the southern hill-ranges, throughout which it is plentifully diffused. Its 

 northerly limit is the Kurunegala district, extending along the base of the Matale hills and including the 

 southern portion of the Seven Korales. It is found in all the forests and heavy jungles of the Western 

 Province, and is common in the Ikkadde-Barawe forest and in the outlying jungles between there and Kotte. 

 From Ambepussa southwards through Ratnapura to the Pasdun and Kukkul Korales it is everywhere found 

 in heavy forest, and ascends the Ambegamoa Peak and Maskeliya jungles to a considerable altitude. It is 

 located in portions of the interior-of the Kandyan Province, as Dr. Holden, formerly resident in Deltota, has 

 procured it in Ffewahette at 3000 feet elevation. It does not appear to extend eastward beyond the slopes of 

 the southern ranges, for I did not meet with it in the forest-tract at the base of the Haputale hills, in which 

 district the racket-tailed species is so common. It is very abundant in the forests on the south bank of the 

 Gindurah, appearing to thrive more prosperously in these excessively humid jungles than in those further up 

 the west coast. I have seen what I am nearly sure to be this species in the Friars- Hood forests; but I 

 cannot speak with certainty, as the specimen I allude to may have been an immature Racket-tailed Drongo. 

 Nowhere else in the Eastern Province have I met with any thing but this latter species, which likewise 

 monopolizes the whole of the northern forests beyond Dambulla. 



Habits. — Damp forests and even their most gloomy recesses are frequented by this fine bird. While 

 tramping through the humid glens of the southern jungles, when not a sound is heard but the soughing of 

 the wind in the lofty trees around him, the naturalist is suddenly startled by the sudden outburst of the lively 

 notes with which the Crested Drongo is wont to indulge in on being disturbed in its native haunts. Its 

 vocal powers are remarkable and are fully brought out in the breeding-season, when the males give out a 

 pleasing warble for the edification of their consorts ; this is varied by a number of loud whistlings and calls, 

 the result of the bird's powers of mimicry, which are quite equal to those of the next species. I have 

 heard, it imitate cleverly the cry of the Serpent-Eagle and the call of the Koel, and often listened to what 

 were evidently attempts to mock other smaller inhabitants of the woods. It usually associates in pairs, and 

 perches across the upper branches of lofty trees, whence it makes many a sudden dive upon passing beetles 

 and the many larger members of the insect kingdom which affect the Ceylon forests. Its flight is powerful 

 and swift, and it is capable of darting through thick foliage with great ease : on seizing an insect in the air 

 it returns with it, or carries it to another perch and beats it against the branches before devouring it. I have 

 on several occasions in Saffragam found three or four pairs of these birds in scattered company, and once in 



