406 
TEEPSIPHONE PAEADISI. 
m the Kurunegala district, it is extremely abundant. As regards the young birds during the south-west monsoon, 
I have found them more abundant in the low-lying forests between Ilaputalc and the sea than anywhere else.' 
I would add here that m my conclusions concerning the migration of the old birds I am supported by 
my friend and correspondent, Mr. Parker, who has paid particular attention to the subject during his residence 
at Madewatchiya, where the species was very numerous and bred in April and May. Mr. Holdsworth 
observed many immature birds at Aripu during the south-west monsoon j but I am not aware that 
he met with any adult red birds. As regards the earlier migration of the adults, and the arrival witli 
them of many young birds, it can be explained on the assumption that most birds leave the island to 
breed on the mainland, bringing their young back with them, while a few that have paired as early as April 
are constrained to remain behind for a period and breed in the island, departing soon afterwards withmt 
their young. 
On the continent the Paradise Flycatclier is found from the extreme south of the peninsula to the Hima- 
layas. To the westward it extends to the province of Guzerat and the vicinity of Kattiawar; it is, says Capt. 
Butler, not uncommon at Mount Aboo, and it likewise occurs at Sambhur and Ajmere. Mr. Brooks has 
observed it in the valley of the Bhagirati, even above Mussoori, but it does not seem to ascend the Himalayas 
to any considerable altitude. In Travancore, Mr. Bourdillon writes that it ascends the hills in March and 
April when the weather is hot ; but in the Palanis Mr. Fairbank only observed it at the base of the ranges. 
Messrs. Davidson and Wonder say that it is “ freely scattered all over the Dcccan,” and they believe thal; it 
breeds at Satara. Mr. Ball writes that it is a remarkable fact that it does not visit the Chota-Xagpur and 
Sambalpur jungles until March and April. In 1875 he observed no birds until the latter month, and saw 
them after that daily during the month of May, “ while marching through the Orissa tributary mehals.^^ 
It is w'orthy of remark that this bird has been called the Paradise-bird from the earliest times. Edwards 
who figured it as the Black-and-white crested Bird of Paradise,^' says that it had been described formerly by 
Mr. Petever in Ray’s ‘ Synopsis Methodica Avium,’ published in the 17th century, and he likewise speaks of 
having seen three skins of it in London. 
Habits. This remarkable bird is very fond of the neighbourhood of water, and is always found in shady 
trees surrounding tanks, swamps, and wet paddy-fields, or bordering rivers and streams in the forests. The 
fine bamboos on the western and southern rivers are a favourite resort. It is, however, not confined to aqueous 
spots, but is found in jungle of all descriptions and in the densest forests. It is a very tame bird, exhibiting 
not the slightest fear of man, and often takes up its abode in jack, bread-fruit, and other cultivated trees 
adjacent to native cottages, about which it darts, whisking its long tail to and fro, and when in the white 
plumage forms a conspicuous and beautiful object as contrasted to the surrounding dark-green foliage. It 
IS very lively in the evenings before roosting, uttering its harsh note, tchreet, and darting actively on passing 
insects. It IS capable of much longer flights than most Flycatchers, frequently compassing the distance across 
some wide paddy-field with ease and celerity. Its peculiar appearance when thus flying, with its long tail 
extended like a piece of rag or cotton, has acquired for it the curious native appellations by wdiicli it is known. 
It does not return to its perch after taking its prey, but darts off to another, and so moves about more than is 
usual with other Flycatehers. I have once or twice disturbed it from the ground, which proves that its habits 
are to a slight extent terrestrial— a remarkable feature in a Flycatcher. Mr. Ball has seen it alight on the 
ground, and writes that Captain Gray and Mr. Leviu confirm his statement that it does do so ; the former 
mentions three of the chestnut birds hopping round his chair, and the latter saw young birds settlino- on the 
ground in his garden and hopping about after insects. 
Nidijication. Mr. Parker writes me that the Paradise F^lycatcher breeds about Madewatchiya in 4pril 
and May. Layard mentions having found a nest at Tangalla, in the fork of a satin-wood tree, and that the 
nest was “ a neat well-built cup-shaped structure, composed externally of mosses and lichens, and lined with 
hair and wool.” 
Mr. Hume writes that » the nest is commonly a delicate little cup, never very deep, often rather shallow, 
composed, according to locality, of moss, moss-roots, vegetable fibres, and fine grass, which latter generally 
constitutes the greater portion of the framework, bound round exteriorly with cobwebs, in which little silky- 
