No. 29. — 1884.] BALANGODA ORNITHOLOGY. 



299 



37. Dymceca insularis, the White-browed Wren-warbler. I 

 saw a single example of this species in a piece of bramble near 

 the river at Bagawantalawa. It is common at 4,000 feet on the 

 Sabaragamuwa side of the range. 



38. Cisticola cursitans, the Common Grass-warbler. This 

 little bird is as common on the Bopatalawa and Bagawantalawa 

 patanas as it is in the paddy fields around Ratnapura, or within 

 the glowing influence of the Kurunegala rock. They are the 

 commonest birds met with on patana land in Ceylon, and, as 

 far as my experience goes, they are found all through the 

 year. 



39. Phylloscopus nitidus, the Green Tree-warbler. I saw a 

 few specimens, but seemingly they had only just reached the 

 high country, as they were much more numerous lower down. 

 These truly migratory birds become extremely abundant about 

 the middle of the N.E. monsoon, departing again before the break 

 of the S.W. in May. 



40. Parus atriceps, the Grey-backed Titmouse. Common up 

 in the hill country all the year round. I have seen it building in 

 dead stumps on estates in February, at an elevation of 5,600 

 feet. This Titmouse rarely descends below 2,000 feet, though. I 

 have seen it once at Polgahawela, but its natural habitat in 

 Ceylon appears to be above 3,000 feet. 



41. Dendrophila frontalis, the Blue Nuthatch. Very abun- 

 dant. I suppose there was not a day passed but I saw or heard 

 these Nuthatches. 



42. Losterops Ceylonensis, the Common Hill White-eye, or 

 Ceylonese White-eye, Numerous. I secured a nest with two 

 eggs in it, in September, in Dimbula, that was built in the branch 

 of a coffee tree. The most curious instances of species confining 

 themselves to a particular elevation that I have experienced were 

 with this and L. palpebrosus. On Wahagapitiya estate, in 

 Pussellawa, the jungle round the store and at the foot of the estate 

 used to be teeming with L. palpebrosus ; while at the top of the 

 estate, which was some 1,200 feet higher, L. Ceylonensis was 

 equally common ; but I rarely remember seeing a transposition, 

 even of individuals. 



43. Hirundo rustica, the Common Swallow. I saw a large 

 number of these birds hawking over the Bagawantalawa and 

 Bopatalawa patanas. As a rule, these migrants are much more 

 common in the low-country than on the hills. 



21—86 g 



