476 
IXOS LTJTEOLUS. 
coast and in the scrubs bordering the south-eastern shores it is as numerous as on the western sea-hoard. In 
the interior it is almost everywhere to he met with, whether in the semicultivated country between Colombo 
and the Kandyan hills, the forests of the northern half of the island, or the similarly interminable jungles of 
the Eastern Province. In the south-western hill-region it chiefly frequents the open and partially cultivated 
tracts of country ; but it is also found in wooded places, particularly in secondary jungle, where the forest has 
been, at some time or another, cut down by the natives. In the Kandyan province it is common in Dumbara 
and the surrounding neighbourhood up to an elevation of about 2500 feet ; but in the eastern district of 
Uva I have observed it much higher, for in that part it frequents the patna-scrubs which clothe the hills 
between Fort Macdonald and Badulla. I noticed it everywhere in the Jaffna peninsula; and Mr. Holds worth 
writes that it is equally common at Aripu and Colombo. ' 
Jerdon writes of this Bulbul that it is plentiful in many parts of South India, that it is not found in the 
forests of Malabar, but is common in low jungle and on the skirts of the forests occasionally. In the Carnatic 
it is tolerably common in bnshy jungle, and even in gardens in wooded districts, also througliout the Northern 
Circars to Goomsoor ; and in Central India it was found by Tick ell. It is not, however, remarks Jerdon, known 
at Jubbulpore, Saugor, Nagpore, nor Mhow, nor on the bare tableland of the Deccan. Eefcrring to ‘ Stray 
Feathers,^ we find Dr. Fairbank testifies to its local distribution in his remarks on the Khandala district, and 
says that it is found in thickets by the Gatprabha river, but not on the Goa frontier ; further north it inhabits 
portions of the country near Bombay. Mr. Ball writes that it is very abundant in Orissa, throughout a broad 
zone in which the vegetation is characterized by certain species of plants which are not met with further to 
the west, and which district, he says, extends “westwards as far as Ungul,^' beyond which it is not found. 
Colonel Tickell procured it at Midnapur, which, I imagine, is its most northern limit. In the Palani-hill list 
it is included as common at the east base of the bil ls. 
Hadiss.— This Bulbul has been named the “Cinnamon-Thrush," on account of its abundance in the 
plantations of that tree in the Western Province. It is fond of frequenting open bushy land, scrub, woods in 
cultivated country, thickets at the edge of jungle, and underwood in dry forests ; in heavily-timbered countrv 
it is not nearly so frequent, although it is more so than the Common Madras Bulbul. Except when feeding 
on some favourite fruit, it does not usually affect tall trees, but prefers to live in the thick cover afforded by 
brambles and other dense undergrowth, to none of which is it more partial than to the Zaniana-scnih so 
abundant in the Western Province and in Dumbara. It associates usually in pairs, and, concealing itself from 
view, frequently utters its loud, jerky Avarble while threading its way through the thickets, or darting actively 
in and out with a quick irregular flight, and thus gives one the impression of being a most busy bird ! In the 
evening it is particularly restless and noisy, and before going to roost flies to and fro among the bushes, darting 
into the thickest cover at hand, where it gives out its voluble notes, and then starts out again with a rustle loud 
enough to be caused by a much larger bird. It is both insectivorous and frugivorous in its diet, but chiefly 
the latter; and there is nothing to which it is more partial than the seeds or berries of the Lan^ana-plant. 
Nidification. The breeding-season of this bird in the west and south-w^est of the island lasts from 
December until June, the months of April and May appearing to be the favourite time. On the eastern side 
it breeds during the north-east rains. It builds in a low bush, placing the nest in the fork of an upright 
branch, sometimes 3 or 4 feet from, and at others close to, the ground. It is a rather loosely made cup-shaped 
structure, built of small twigs, grass-stalks, and fine roots, with occasionally a few dead leaves at the bottom 
to act as a foundation ; the lining is scanty and is of fine grass. The eggs are from two to four iu number, 
ovate in form, but sometimes stumpy at the large end ; the ground-colour is reddish white or pale reddish, 
covered openly throughout with brownish or claret-red over a few markings of lilac-grey ; in many specimens 
the spots are confluent round the obtuse end. They measure from 0-9 to 0-95 inch in length by 0'63 to 
0-65 inch in breadth. 
At Bombay it is recorded as laying in June and September, building a loose straggling nest in a bush a 
few feet from the ground; it is there made of fine twigs, lined with grass-stems, and portions of the exterior 
tied with wool and cobwebs to the surrounding twigs. A correspondent of Mr. Hume^s draws attention to a 
nest which was tied at one place to a twig to prevent its being blown off its insecure site. 
