XXII 
INTRODUCTION. 
the south-west. Instances of such birds are to be found in the Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiplione 
parodist) and the Indian Sky-Lark ( Alaudcc gulgula), which latter bird is found during the south- 
west monsoon in numbers at the tank-meadows in the northern forests, while the former (in the 
red stage) inhabits both the northern and south-eastern forest-tracts. Species that move away 
from the immediate western sea-board are Dendrochelidon coronata, Eudynamys lionorata, Tham - 
nobia fulicata, Tephrodornis pondicerianus, and Parus cinereus ; but a few miles inland, in 
sheltered spots, these birds may be found all the year through, except perhaps the latter, which 
must be classed as an uncertain N.E. monsoon visitant to the maritime districts of the Western 
Province. 
In the mountains the movements of the hill species are very noticeable in those districts 
west of Nuwara Eliya which are exposed to the violent winds and rain which accompany 
the incoming of the monsoon in May. The Hill-Myna (. Eulabes ptilogenys), the Blue Tit 
( Parus atnceps), the handsome Torrington Wood-Pigeon ( Palumbus torringtonice), the large 
Bulbul ( Hypsipetes ganeesa), the Orange Minivet ( Pericrocotus flammeus ), the Jay ( Cissa 
ornata ), the Hill-Barbet {Megaloema flavifrons), the Jungle-fowl ( Gallus lafayettii), and the 
Spur-fowl ( Galloperdix Ucalcarata ) are among the more prominent species which appear in 
the upper ranges (from 5000 to 8000 feet) as soon as the calm weather of the N.E. monsoon 
has set in in November. 
At this season of the year also low-country birds, which, as a rule, only range into the 
hill-zones to an inconsiderable elevation, ascend to the upper hills. Artamus fuscus, Oriolus 
melanocephalus, TIpupa ceylonensis, Pycnonotus hcemorrhous, Layardia ritfescens, Terpsiphone 
paradisi , and Hypothymis ceylonensis are species which either occasionally ascend to altitudes 
above 5000 feet, or are found yearly in the upper zone during the N.E. monsoon. 
True Migrants.— The arrival of the migratory species, which takes place, as already 
mentioned, at the teimination of the S.W. monsoon, greatly adds to the avifauna of the island. 
The Insessorial migrants consist chiefly of Muscicapidse, Laniidee, Motacillidse, and Sylviidse, 
while the Grallatorial are made up of ScolopacidtE and Charadriidae. The members of the first- 
mentioned order are wholly migratory ; but certain species of the two latter remain to some 
extent as non-breeding loiterers throughout the year. The following is a table of 
migrants : — 
Accipitbes. 
Baza lophotes. 
Falco peregrinus. 
Cerchneis amurensis. 
Circus scruginosus. 
Circus cineraceus. 
Circus melanoleucus. 
PiCABIjE. 
*'Cuculus canorus. 
Cuculus micropfcerus. 
Cuculus poliocephalus. 
Cuculus passerinus. 
*Cuculus maculatus. 
llierococeyx varius. 
Coccystes coromandus. 
Merops philippinus. 
Insessobes. 
Oriolus indicus. 
Lanius eristatus. 
Buchauga lougicaudata. 
Alseonax latirostris. 
fSiphia rubeculoides. 
Muscicapa hyperytlira. 
*Cyanecula suecica. 
Larvivora brunnea- 
