STUKNORXIS SENEX. 681 



in the ' Conspectus Avium,' p. 419, as Bengal — the consequence of which was that Layard, when he obtained it, was 

 not sure that it was referable to Temminck's species, and described it as new, writing as follows : — " It may be 

 Pastor senex, Temm., as it agrees tolerably well with the short description given in Prince Bonaparte's Consp. Av. 

 p. 419 ; but that description is so concise that I cannot be sure of it ; I therefore name it provisionally 

 II. albofrontata." 



Distribution. — This arboreal Starling, which is one of the most interesting of the species peculiar to 

 Ceylon, is very scarce in collections, and has always been looked upon as one of our rarest birds. The fact is, 

 that the portions of the island which it inhabits are wild hill-forests seldom trodden by Europeans, and hence 

 its scarcity in the cabinets of collectors ; but nevertheless ia these primeval solitudes it is numerous. It is 

 a bird of local distribution, being chiefly confined to the great forests on the Peak range which stretch from 

 the Kuruwite Korale round to Belihul-oya and the upper forests of the southern ranges, including the 

 Singha-Rajah, and other extensive jungles stretching through the northern and lower part of the Kukul 

 Korale into the Pasdun Korale. As regards the latter locality, which is the lowest at which it has yet been 

 observed, I found it in some of the valleys through which the southern affluents of the Kaluganga find their 

 way to the main stream, and not far from the remote village of Moropitiya, at an altitude of a few hundred 

 feet above the sea-level. There appears to be a continuous stretch of hilly forest extending northward of 

 this place for twenty miles to the Kaluganga; and the White-fronted Starling will probably occur throughout 

 this region. Above Gillymally I found it very abundant in forest of about 1200 feet elevation, and equally so 

 2000 feet higher up. It appears to cross over into some of the western coffee-districts from the Maskeliya 

 jungles, for Mr. Bligh procured it in 1872 in Kotmalie. Layard does not seem to have procured specimens of 

 this bird himself, as he only speaks of it as existing in Mr. Thwaites's collection ; and in what part of the hill- 

 zone this latter gentleman procured it I am unable to say. There is a specimen in the British Museum 

 procured by Mr. Boate and labelled Nuwara Eliya. Mr. Bligh tells me he has never seen it in Haputale ; 

 but I do not see why it should not extend along the entire southern base of the Kandyan mountains. It will 

 assuredly be found on the eastern slopes of the Kolonna and Morowak Korales. 



Habits. — The White-headed Starling frequents fruit-bearing trees in high forest, cheena- and patna- 

 woods. It is frequently found, too, about the edges of jungle or by the sides of sylvan paths. It is entirely 

 arboreal, never descending to the ground, but feeding sociably in parties in the topmost branches of thickly 

 foliaged trees. It is passionately fond of the wild cinnamon and of the luscious fruit of the Kanda-etta 

 tree. In the Singha-Rajah forest I found it feeding on the berries of a small tree, Macaranga tomentosa, 

 which grew in the gorges of the mountains, and likewise searching about Jack-trees near some of the 

 forest hamlets for insects, in the pursuit of which I have also seen it in company with a troop of Layarda 

 rufescens. Its powers of voice seem to be somewhat limited, as I never heard it utter any note but a quick 

 Starling-like chirp, which it is particularly given to when assembled in flocks. While feeding it is not at all 

 shy ; and so intent is it on devouring the berries and fruits of its choice that a number may be shot one after the 

 other in the same tree. Mr. Bligh noticed that it was fond of mulberries, coming into the garden attached 

 to his bungalow in Kotmalie in search of them. When encamped in the Peak forest during the month of 

 August I noticed that this bird roamed about the patnas towards evening, flying in small parties of half a 

 dozen or more ; it was then very shy, settling on the tops of dead trees and keeping up a quick chirping until 

 it took wing on my approach. 



I regret to say that nothing is known of the nidification of this bird. 



The figures of this bird in the Plate accompanying the present article are those of an adult female shot in 

 the Singha-Rajah forest, and a young bird procured in the Crillymally jungles. 



4s 



