45 



the main-hind. It is strange, however, that Jerdon in his des- 

 cription of Saularis should omit the conspicuous white patch 

 on the wings of bur bird. Again, the colour of the eggs, as 

 given by this author, is bluish white or pale bluish, with pale 

 brown spots and he goes on to say, , vol. ii., page 116 : . 

 " Lay ard says the eggs are bright blue . ... .he must be mis- 

 taken, I thinks in the identity of the owner of the nest." On 

 the contrary,. however, Layard is correct: the eggs (in the 

 Society's Museum) which are rather large for the bird and; 

 much rounded in form, are of an uniform deep greenish blue 

 they were taken, from a^ losely constructed nest, lined with 

 fine grass stalks and situated in the hollow of a cocoa-nut tree. 

 Axis 11 J lines, diam. lines. This difference in the egg is 

 I think, of itself, sufficient to separate our species from the 

 Indian. The Ceylon Magpie Robin breeds in this province 

 during both monsoons. I am not aware whether the Con- 

 tinental bird, which is said to affect wooded districts, is so 

 domesticated in his habits as ours is ; every one about Co- 

 lombo knows this is one of the most familiar of our feathered 

 friends, becoming sometimes so tame that it will enter the 

 house anA pick up the crumbs that have fallen from the table. 

 Its habit of raising and depressing its tail is worthy of notice ; 

 this is done particularly when alighting on the ground, and if 

 the bird be closely watched while so doing, it will be observed 

 that it is not merely the tail that is thrown back, but that 

 the whole abdominal region and rump are up raised, thus 

 accounting for the tail almost touching the back of the head, 

 a feat which some authors do not believe in. 



Orthotonus Longicaudus ( Gmelin), The Indian Tailor, 

 bird. 



The tail in Ceylon specimens does not appear to attain to 

 the same length as given for .Indian birds ; in fact the difference 



