My next meeting with It was In the park-1 Ike woods lying between "West¬ 
minster Abbey" and Kollunpltiya, on the new Battioaloa road, which are stud¬ 
ded with those remarkable rooky hills so eharaoterlstio of the Eastern pro¬ 
vince. I subsequently found It about Nalande, and all round the base of 
the Matale hills, from Dambulla to Kurunegala; beneath the Ambokka it Is a- 
bundant. f rhe greatest extent of low country, however, over which It is 
spread, lies In the Western Province., between Ruanwella and Peltaadulla* I 
found it close to Ukawatta, about 26 miles from Colombo, where It was rre- 
quenting the tall timber forests; it was also very common in the Kuruwlte 
forests, and thence up to Gillymally, as well as in other parts of tne val¬ 
ley of Saffragam. Beyond the Karawita hills, which lie to the south of the 
Kaluganga, I again met with it in the forests of the Northern or lower part 
of the Kukkul Korale, and traced it into the Padsun Korale as far as the re¬ 
mote and sequestered village of Moropittiya. Nearer the sea than this lo¬ 
cality I did not find it* In the South its coast-wise limit appears to be 
the vicinity of the Haycock, and in the East that of the "Westminster Abbey" 
hill. 
From the above remarks it will be seen that this parrakeet spreads into t 
the low country at all points connected with an adjacent forest covered 
range, in which it is numerous. 
As regards the altitude to which it ascends, I have seen it between 5000 
and 0000 feet above Maturatta, at a similar height in the wilderness of the 
Peak, and in Haputale, and Dr Kelaart reaords it from Newera Ellia, though 
neither Mr Holdsworth nor Mr Bligh met with it there* 
HABITS 
Layard’s Parrakeet frequents the outskirts and open places in the interi¬ 
or of forests, patina woods, wooded gorges, and glades in the vicinity of 
hills; it associates in moderately sized flocks, and is a very noisy and 
restless bird, uttering its hard "crake" on the wing, as it dashes up and 
down the magnificent valleys, and forest clad glens of the Ceylon mountains, 
and enlivens these romantic' solitudes with its swift and headlong flight. 
It is entirely arboreal in its habits, settling in flocks among tne lea¬ 
ves of its favourite trees, and silently devouring the fruit seeas and ouas 
on which it feeds. It Is very partial to the wild fig, the fruit of the 
Kanda-tree, (Macaranga Tomentosa), the wild cinnamon tree, and the rlowers 
of the Bomba tree. After feeding In the morning it becomes garrulous, as¬ 
sembling In small parti'es in shady trees, and keeping up a chattering note 
almost similar to that of Layarda Rufescens; towards evening it commences to 
