DENDROCHELIDON CORONATUS. 
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met with it about the Slave-Island lake in the height of the boisterous weather. In the Galle district it is a 
very common bird, and follows the coast round to the Hambantota district in fair numbers and thence 
spreads throughout the flat, jungle-clad country to the Haputale hills. I have noticed it m a paits o e 
Eastern Province that I have visited, and in the jungles of the northern half of the island have found i 
chiefly confining itself to the vicinity of the grand old tanks, such as Minery, Topare, Kanthelai, &c., an 
likewise affecting any large clearings which may exist in the forests of the Yanni. In the Kandyan Province 
it is common enough in the coffee-districts, and in fine weather may be seen about the Elephant, Kandapolia, 
and Horton Plains. Mr. Holdsworth does not record it from Nuwara Elliya ; but I have seen it a few miles 
from that place, about which it no doubt flies in the course of its day’s wanderings. 
On the mainland this fine Swift is found, according to Jerdon, throughout Southern and Central India, 
but “ most abundant on the Malabar coast and the Wynaad, extending up the slopes of the Nilghms to 
4000 feet or thereabouts.” Mr. Fairbank only observed one example in the Palam hills. It is recorded by 
other observers to inhabit the sub-Himalayan districts; and Mr. Hume says, in ‘ Nests and Eggs that it 
breeds “ below Kumaon and Gurwhal.” Mr. Ball says it is found in most parts of Chota Nagpur but nowhere 
abundant ; he also obtained it in the Satpura range and Rajmehal hills. It extends into Bur m ah. Mr. Oa es 
found it common throughout the year in Upper Pegu ; Mr. Davison procured it in the pine forests nor o 
Kollidoo in Northern Tenasserim ; but in the south he did not meet with it, as it appears to be replaced there 
by D. comatus and I), klecho, which two species, in common with other Malayan forms, do not seem to extend 
much to the north of Mergui. 
Habits . — This species is strikingly arboreal in its habits, haunting open hill-sides or clearings in the 
jungle studded with dead trees, on which it perches almost as freely as a Passerine bird. In such localities 
little colonies may often be met with, the majority of the birds in which will be seen dashing about with grea 
velocity in quest of insects, while half a dozen or less are perched on the topmost branches of some tall ea 
tree standing among a group of rocks, where it has escaped the woodman’s axe, but has been charred 
and killed by the fire which has swept his clearing. Here it sits elevating and depressing its crest and 
constantly uttering its loud call, until it dashes forth and commences to hawk round the adjacent tract with 
its companions, who, in their turn, settle for a while and join in the noisy cries. When thus perched the 
Crested Swift presents a singular appearance, its long wings, crossed widely over its attenuated tail, forming a 
broad arrow, the striking aspect of which is increased by the long body in continuation of it, and the crest 
erected as fiercely as that of a Cockatoo. When wandering about from place to place, it has a very swift ihg it, 
performed with quick and powerful strokes of the wing, varied with wide sweeps and downward plunges, from 
which it gracefully rises on its rapid course. At times it flies high in the air, but, as a rule, keeps a short 
distance above the trees of the forest or the wooded tank over which it is hawking. Jerdon remarks that 
« should there be a tank or pool of water or river near, it is fond of descending suddenly, just touching the 
water, and then rising again with unrivalled grace and speed.” It utters its loud cry when flying, as do other 
members of the family, but not so repeatedly as when perched, at which time it appears to call to its 
companions on the wing, and is then very tame, allowing a near approach without taking flight. Its oo 
consists of small flies, of whichit consumes quantities, its stomach being very capacious for the size of its body. 
Some Indian writers speak of the great velocity with which this Swift flies. Ihis lias nevei struct me 
as any thing very extraordinary if only compared with that of the lightning-like speed o t e P me ' al • 
Mr. Oates speaks of it flying over a certain bungalow in Pegu, and “dipping with incredible velocity to 
the surface of the Irrawaddy.” It certainly has, as I have remarked above, a great speed when thus launching 
itself downward from its course. 
Nidification . — N othing authentic has ever been discovered of the breeding of this bird in Ceylon The 
natives assured Layard that it built in old Euphorbia- trees; possibly it may ; but this free is not well suited to 
its habits and I have never myself seen the bird about it. The inhabitants of the Malabar coast informed 
Jerdon that it bred in holes in trees; this certainly is erroneous, for, as a matter of fact, its curious nest 
which has several times been found in India, is, according to Mr. Hume, “a little, shallow, saucer-shaped 
structure, composed of thin flakes of bark, gummed, probably by the bird’s own saliva, against the side of a 
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