Bicrurus Edoliformis (Blytk.) 



Dimensions of an immature bird — Length 12*3" outer tail 

 feather 6*3"; centre tail feather 4*95" ; wing 5*45" ; bill to 

 gape 1*35". The under tail and under wing coverts have a 

 few white bars. " £fot uncommon in the Ambegamowa range 

 of hills at about 2000 feet elevation" (Layard,) This is 

 another bird which, inasmuch as it affects entirely thick jungle 

 is not restricted in its range by elevation, but would appaar 

 at least, as far as the Western Province is concerned, to be 

 found wherever there is forest. It is tolerably plentiful in the 

 jungle between Cottah and Hanwelle, rarely coming into the 

 open, and is a solitary bird in its habits. It sits on the hori- 

 zontal branches of high trees sallying out alter insects, and 

 returning to its perch. 



Malacocirgus Striatus (Swainson.) The Striated 

 Babbler. 



This is the Babbler so common about Colombo, and in fact 

 throughout the low country of this Province, being equally 

 plentiful in all cultivated localities. I have not yet met with 

 M. Griseus, the Madras bird, nor do I think it is found 

 here, although it is singular that such should be the case, 

 when we consider that our bird is allied to a much more 

 distantly located species viz., M. Terricolor of Bengal, I 

 have shot numbers of individuals, but have not yet pro- 

 cured M. Griseus so that probably it ha3 been erroneously 

 entered in Em. Tennant's list. The Striated Babbler breeds 

 in this Province during the S. W. monsoon. A nest I found 

 in June was built in the fork of a Cinnamon bush, 4 feet from 

 the ground, and was a shallow cup-shaped structure made 

 entirely of stalks of plants and grasses, and lined with fine 

 green grass. It contained only two eggs, which I imagine ■ 



