Chap. VIII.] LIST OF CEYLON BIRDS. 



269 



NOTE. 



The following is a list of the birds which are, as far as is at 

 present known, peculiar to the island ; it will probably be 

 determined at some future day that some included in it have 

 a wider geographical range. 



Hasmatornis spilogaster. The " Ceylon 

 eagle ; " was discovered by Mr. Layard 

 in the Wanny, and by Dr. Kelaart at 

 Trincomalie. 

 Athene castonotus. The chestnut-winged 

 hawk owl. This pretty little owl was 

 added to the list of Ceylon birds by Dr. 

 Templeton. Mr. Blyth is at present of 

 opinion that this bird is identical with 

 Ath. Castanopterns, Horsf. of Java as 

 figured by Temminck : P. Col. 

 Batrachostomns moniliger. The oil bird; 

 was discovered amongst the precipitous 

 rocks of the Adam's Peak range by Mr. 

 Layard. Another specimen was sent 

 about the same time to Sir James Emer- 

 son Tennent from Avisavelle. Mr. Mit- 

 ford has met with it at Ratnapoora. 

 Caprimulgus Kelaarti. Kelaart's night- 

 jar; swarms on the marshy plains of 

 Neuera-ellia at dusk. 

 Hirundo hyperythra. The red-bellied 

 swallow ; was discovered in 1849, by Mr. 

 Layard at Ambepusse. They build a 

 globular nest, with a round hole at top 

 A pair built in the ring for a hanging 

 lamp in Dr. Gardner's study at Pera- 

 denia, and hatched their young, un- 

 disturbed by the daily trimming and 

 lighting of the lamp. 

 Cisticola omalura. Layard's mountain 

 grass warbler ; is found in abundance on 

 Horton Plain and Neuera-ellia, among 

 the long Patena grass. 

 Drymoica valida. Layard's wren-war- 

 bler ; frequents tufts of grass and low 

 bushes, feeding on insects. 

 Pratincola atrata. The Neuera-ellia 

 robin ; a melodious songster ; added to 

 our catalogue by Dr. Kelaart. 

 Brachypteryx Palliseri. Ant thrush. A 

 rare bird, added by Dr. Kelaart from 

 Dimboola and Neuera-ellia. 

 Pellorneum fuscocapillum. Mr. Layard 

 found two specimens of this rare thrush 

 creeping about shrubs and bushes, 

 feeding on insects. 

 Alcippe nigrifrons. This thrush frequents 

 low impenetrable thickets, and seems 

 to be widely distributed. 

 Oreocincla spdoptera. The spotted thrush 

 is only found in the mountain zone about 

 lofty trees. 

 Merula Kinnisii. The Neuera-ellia black- 

 bird ; was added by Dr. Kelaart. 

 Garrulax cinereifrons. The ashy-headed 



babbler ; was found by Mr. Layard near 

 Ratnapoora. 



Pomatorhinus melanurus. Mr. Layard 

 states that the mountain babbler fre- 

 quents low, scraggy, impenetrable brush, 

 along the margins of deserted cheena 

 land. This may turn out to be little 

 more than a local yet striking variety of 

 P. Horsfieldii of the Indian Peninsula. 



Malacocercus rufescens. The red dung 

 thrush added by Dr. Templeton to the 

 Singhalese Fauna, is found in thick 

 jungle in the southern and midland 

 districts. 



Pycnonotus penicillatus. The yellow- 

 eared bulbul ; was found by Dr. kelaart 

 at Neuera-ellia. 



Butalis Muttui. This very handsome 

 flycatcher was procured at Point Pedro, 

 by Mr. Layard. 



Dicrurus edoliformis. Dr. Templeton 

 found this kingcrow at the \Bibloo Oya. 

 Mr. Layard has since got it at Ambo- 

 gammoa. 



Dicrurus leucopygialis. The Ceylon 

 kingcrow was sent to Mr. Blyth from 

 the vicinity of Colombo, by Dr. Tem- 

 pleton. A species very closely allied to 

 D. ccerulescens of the Indian continent. 



Tephrodornis afnnis. The Ceylon 

 butcher-bird. A migatory species found 

 in the wooded grass lands in October. 



Cissa puella. Layard's mountain jay. A 

 most lovely bird, found along mountain 

 streams at Neuera-ellia and elsewhere. 



Eulabes ptilogenys. Templeton's mynah. 

 The largest and most beautiful of the 

 species. It is found in flocks perching 

 on the highest trees, feeding on berries. 



Munia Kelaarti. This Grosbeak previ- 

 ously assumed to be M. pectoralis of 

 Jerdonj is most probably peculiar to 

 Ceylon. 



Loriculus asiaticus. The small parroquet, 

 abundant in various districts. 



Pala;ornis Calthropae. Layard's purple- 

 headed parroquet, found at Kandy, is a 

 very handsome bird, flying in flocks, and 

 resting on the summits of the very 

 highest trees. Dr. Kelaart states that 

 it is the only parroquet of the Neuera- 

 ellia range. 



Megalaima flavifrons. The yellow-headed 

 barbet, is not uncommon. 



Megalaima rubricapilla, is found in most 

 parts of the island. 



