tit iifin nnwuHravL 



Gallus lafayettii, Lesson, 



VornaCUlai 1 Names-— [Wali-kukula, Ceyhn. 3 



ITH this handsome species, which is entirely confined 

 to the Island of Ceylon, I have unfortunately no 

 personal acquaintance, and can only, therefore, re- 

 produce what others have recorded in regard to it 



"The Ceylon Jungle-Fowl," says Mr. Holds- 

 worth, " is remarkable not only for being pecu- 

 liar to the island, but also for being common in all parts of 

 it where the country is uncultivated and there is jungle of a 

 moderate height Although especially abundant in the low 

 country, it is often very numerous even on the upper hills, and 

 is attracted to the particular localities where the " nilloo" the 

 native name for some species of Strobilanthes growing at 5,000 

 feet and upwards, is, at the time, in seed. 



"At daybreak the crow of the Jungle-Cock is first heard ; 

 and for an hour or two after sunrise, if the birds are at all 

 numerous, they may be heard challenging each other on all 

 sides. On these occasions a successful shot may sometimes 

 be obtained by remaining perfectly still between two birds 

 which are challenging and gradually approaching each other. 

 Some of the native hunters are very expert in calling the 

 Jungle-Cocks, by beating on a loose fold of their cloth, so as to 

 produce an imitation of the sound of a bird's wings just as it is 

 alighting : no time must be lost with the gun on these occasions, 

 as the cocks discover the deception the moment they get 

 sight of you, and instantly run off with drooping tails like 

 Pheasants. 



" It is not difficult in favourable jungle to approach a calling 

 bird within easy shot ; and under these circumstances I have 

 generally found the cock strutting up and down a low horizon- 

 tal branch of a tree, raising and lowering its head, and every 

 now and then giving utterance to its peculiar crow, which has 

 been likened to the sound of " George Joyce." When the bird 

 is tolerably close, the syllable " ek" is heard preceding those two 

 sounds, which are so familiar to persons who have been wander- 



3i 



