I 
17. 
CENT R OPUS CH.LORORH Y NCHU S 
(THE CEYLONESE CONCAL) 
ADULT MALE AND FEMALE 
• 
Length 16.2 to 17.5 Inches; wing 6.3 to 6.5; tall 0 to 9.5; tarsus 1.7 to 
1.8; outer anterior toe 1.35 to 1.5; Its olaw (straight) .5; outer posterior 
toe and olaw 1.4; long posterior olaw-,.7; bill to gape 1.6 to 1.75. 
DISTRIBUTION 
This handsome species wa s discovered by Layard In 1848 on the Avlsawella 
road; but one specimen was then procured by him, which was forwarded to 
Blyth, and described by that naturalist under its present title. In 1852 
Layard again met with It, procuring another example at Hanwella and three 
more in the dense jungle near Pallabaddoola, at the foot of the Peak. 
These researches, therefore, gave a very small range, the extreme limits 
falling within forty miles. Mr Holdsworth records the fact of seeing an 
individual of the species once, but did not procure it. Mr Neville, I un- 
X ■ 
derstand, obtained several specimens in the Western Province, probaoly be¬ 
tween Ratnapura and Colombo, and was, prior to the date of ray acquaintance vi 
with it, the only collector besides Layard who ever obtained it. 
Instead of being so rare as was hitherto supposed, this "Green Billed 
Jungle Crow" exists in considerable numbers throughout the tract of country 
which it inhabits. This consists of the South-west hill region, ranging 
from the many jungles'near Galle up to the altitude of the coffee districts 
of the Morowak Korale, the whole of the Western Province, and a strip of 
country lying between Korunegala and Dambulla. In this latter region I do 
not think it extends into the seven Korales beyond the influence of the hill 
range. It Is not uncommon on the Dedura Ova and in the jungles between 
the Ambokka range and the out-lying rocky hills, of which the Dolookanda 
forms the most conspicuous point, and I have met with It as far North as the 
Klmbulana Oya, where It is crossed by the direct road from Korunegala to Anu- 
radhapura via Rambawe. 
This portion of the seven Korales Is very dry, and this bird only inha¬ 
bits there the heavy jungle on the borders of the seasonal rivers and streams 
, 
I have traced It from Korunegala up to the vicinity of Dambulla. 
To return to the Western Province, which is its head quarters, this bird 
is there common In all the heavy forests and jungle as well as In the bamboo 
cheena from Ambepusse to Ratnapura, inhabiting all out-lying dense woods be- 
