tastes. During several days* wanderings in the Peak forests, a most likely 
locality for it, I seldom heard its well-known trill, and again in the Knuo - 
kies forests I found it rare, 
Layard procured the specimen from which he took his original description 
at Glllymally near Ratnapura, and mentions Mr Thwaites getting a large num¬ 
ber near Kandy, i i which district it was evidently more common than it la 
now. Mr Holdsworth found it "abundant at Newera Ellla, and In all tree jun¬ 
gle in that district". 
HABITS 
Layard*s Woodpecker is chiefly an inhabitant of tall forest and timber 
jungle, but it is likewise found in tangled woods and groves of jungle which, 
happen to be interspersed with large trees which it principally affects. 
In the South-east I invariably found it in the tall forest which lined 
the rivers flowing through that wild region; it shunned the thick thorny 
jungle clothing the arid land, and resorted to the luxuriant belts which 
grew within the influence of water. I generally found It in similar local¬ 
ities, or near the borders of tanks. In the Northern parts of Ceylon. 
In the Central Province it invariably affects the heavy jungle, either 
above the coffee estates, or in the valleys which have not yet been denuded 
of their beautiful clothing. It is very shy, always evincing a fear or man 
and its habits escape observation by all except those who. are muon In tne 
jungle. It is very active, working the tallest trees right to tne top, and 
when sounding a hollow branch uses Its powerful head and begk in dealing a 
rattle of blows with such Inconceivable rapidity that the movement of its 
head cannot be discerned by the human eye. 
This startling sound is produced by the common red woodpecker, but it has 
not such a loud effect as when executed by the present species. I once 
watched one of these birds sounding a branch at the top of a lofty Kenar 
tree in the Lunugalla pass, and observed that it held Its head on one side 
and listened attentively each time before striking its rattle on tne hard 
wood in order to force the frightened insects from their lair, in doing 
which it produced a noise which resounded through the forest. 
These Woodpeckers are usually in pairs not far distant from each other, m 
and when two are running up the same trunk they keep on opposite sides of it 
appearing not to wish to interrupt each other, each one suddenly vanishing 
round the bole on the appearance of the other, which has the effect of a 
game of hide and seek. A single bird will work a tree from side to side,, 
crossing arid re-crossing the trunk rapidly. 
