30 



of trees. I only once met with a large flock, and this w-as- 

 in a valley in the Knuckles Ranges, at an elevation of about 

 5,000 feet. I was attracted by a peculiar sparrow-like 

 chirp over head, and. on looking up, perceived numbers of 

 these birds in the extremities of the lateral branches 

 of the trees above me ; they were flitting actively, from one 

 spot to another, uttering in concert the note that had be- . 

 trayed their presence. This was the first time that, I had 

 heard this note, the usual one being a very remarkable sound 

 impossible to syllabise, but reminding one of the noise pro-, 

 duced by placing a blade of grass between the thumbs and? 

 blowing through them. 



The following are the dimensions of an individual procured 

 in the Knuckles district : Male, total length 4" 8" ; tail 17";- 

 wing "4^4'; tarsus "7"; mid toe and claw "5"; bill to gape *6";. 

 bill at front 9-20"; iris reddish brown ; bill dark horn 

 colour, base of under mandible light leaden ; tarsi and feet 

 dusky bluish o Specimens from Dimbula, where the bird is 

 very common, and those presented last year by Mr. Holds-, 

 worth to the Society's Museum, from the neighbourhood of 

 Nuwara Eliya, have the bill 1-20" longer ; the head, cheeks 

 and breast darker,, the colour descending much lower over 

 the latter part and the tail feathers not barred. It is, there-, 

 fore, just possible that there may be tvvo distinct species 

 as, besides the difference in coloration, the sparrow like 

 chirp seemed peculiar to the flock which I found in the 

 Knuckles district and, on other occasions when myatten-. 

 tion was directed to the bird with the longer bill, I have 

 only been able to detect the peculiar note above described. 



I have expunged the description, after it had already gone to press,, 

 as Mr. Holdsworth informs me, that having drawn attention to the- 

 bird in England, he wishes \q describe it himself in the Proc, of tho.- 

 Zool, Soc, of London, 



