

450 TURDTTS KINNTSI. 



Distribution. — The Blackbird of Ceylon, which bears a great resemblance to our home favourite, is an 

 inhabitant of the entire hill portion of the Kandyan Province, from the loftiest regions down to an elevation 

 of between 2500 and 3000 feet ; it is, I am given to understand, likewise found on the uppermost parts of the 

 Morowak and Kolonna Koralcs, but I have not seen specimens myself from that district. It is very numerous 

 at the Horton Plains, in the wilderness of the Peak, the Nuwara-Elliya district, and in all the forests of the 

 main range. In Haputale, on Namooni-kuli hills, the Knuckles, and all other ranges where any considerable 

 amount of forest has escaped the woodman's axe it is common. On isolated hills, such as the Allegalla peak, 

 1 have found it ; but it is rare in such localities. In many of the coffee-districts intersected with wooded 

 patnas, which furnish it with a stronghold, it is a familiar bird and in the north-east monsoon season appears 

 about the residences of the planters. 



Habits. — The presence of this songster at Nuwara Elliya is not without interest to the English colonist ; 

 its lively though somewhat subdued matutinal song recalls home recollections and memories of the lovely 

 spring time in England when all nature seems awakened after the slumbers of winter. It frequents a variety 

 of situations, passing, however, most of its existence in thick undergrowth, particularly the nilloo and elephant- 

 grass scrub. It strays out of the forest into detached groves, copses, umbrageous coffee, and about Nuwara 

 Elliya resorts even to the gardens and plantations surrounding the villas of the residents. It is a very shy bird, 

 feeding entirely in the thick cover of the jungle until evening, when the departing sun illumines the borders 

 of the forest ; it then sallies out, mounting high into trees and pouring out its song, which is neither so loud 

 nor so full in tone as that of its English congener ; it then proceeds by short flights from tree to tree, uttering 

 its call-note of cluck-onk until it finds its way back to its accustomed roosting-place. At the break of day it is 

 again abroad, singing before sunrise, and shortly after it retires into neighbouring thickets for the entire day. 

 While searching for its food it gives vent to a very low chirp, which one would imagine came from the throat of 

 the smallest bird ; and when alarmed by the sound of an approaching footstep takes refuge into the depths of 

 the scrub with quick hoppings along the ground or short flights from branch to branch. It is very partial to 

 some fruits in the forest, collecting in considerable flocks in the loftiest trees ; and while some greedily pluck 

 the berries from the top branches, others remain in the underwood beneath and reap a harvest on those that fall. 

 In spite of its fruit-eating propensities, however, it is highly insectivorous in diet ; and I have seen it scratching 

 in manure at the edge of forest-paths. Layard writes that Mr. Mitford, of the Ceylon Civil Service, shot one 

 of these birds (the only animal life he saw there) at the very summit of Adam's Peak, feeding on the crumbs 

 of rice thrown out by the pilgrims as an offering to Buddha. Mr. Eorbes Laurie writes me that it has the 

 power of diminishing the tone of its voice until its notes have the effect of coming from a distance. 



Nidification. — The Blackbird breeds from April until June, building in a niche of a trunk, on a stump, 

 or iu the forked branch of a low tree; its nest is composed of grass, moss, and roots, strengthened with a few 

 twigs, and is somewhat massive in structure, the interior being a deep cup lined with fine roots, most probably 

 underlaid by a foundation of mud, as in the nests of other species. The eggs are four in number, of a pale 

 green ground-colour, blotched evenly all over with faded reddish brown and light umber, overlying smaller 

 reddish-grey spots. Dimensions T05 by , 82inch. 



In the matter of situation it has, however, a variety of choice, sometimes nesting, according to 

 Mr. Iloldsworth, in out-buildings at Nuwara Elliya, and occasionally choosing the side of a rock, as will be 

 seen from the following experience of Mr. Bligh. He writes me : — " I have often found this charming bird's 

 nest ; on one occasion it proved to be a strange structure, composed of seven distinct nests, which were fixed 

 among the roots of a bush which grew out of a perpendicular rock above the " Swallows' Cave " at Dambetenne ; 

 it contained three young ones. The situation no doubt proving very safe and suitable, induced perhaps the 

 same pair to build successively on the old nests, all of which still presented a fresh green appearance, from 

 the moss not readily drying in such a moist climate. Usually the nest is very like the English Blackbird's, 

 but smaller ; and the same may be said of the eggs, except that they are rather rounder. These birds nest 

 regularly near the Catton bungalow ; and directly this important business is over they retire to the higher jungle, 

 assembling in more or less numerous parties. I have seen as many as forty or fifty at the same time in what 

 might be termed scattered company ; but this is a rare habit, and only to be accounted for by the abundance of 

 fax ourite food in a particular locality." 



