loving the gloom and shade of the dampest forests I the island, and deligh¬ 
ting in the seclusion afforded by the thick underwood, and not unfrequent dei 
dense bamboo thickets with which such localities abound. I have met with 
it in a dark ravine in the very gloomiest recesses of the lofty timber jun¬ 
gles of the Kukkul Korale; not the least daunted by the tremendous downpour 
of rain which was falling at the time, the whole troop were darting hither 
and thither about the dripping vegetation in.search of food, and indulging 
in their wonted spasmodic cries, as if rejoicing in the brightest sunshine 
on a pleasant lawn, instead of being imprisoned in the darkest, most drippiig 
leech Infested glen in Ceylon! It always associates in scattered troops of 
ten or twenty, and feeds among tangled underwood, in spots which are covered 
with dead leaves, the product of many years dropping from the monarchs of 
the forest, and delights in exploring the mossy recesses of fallen trunks, 
in which humid spots it' finds an abundance of caterpillars, bugs, (Hemipte- 
ra), and coleopterous insects* 
It breaks out constantly into a harsh chatterin , which is taken up in 
turn by all the members of the troop, and as suddenly stops, when all is si¬ 
lent again, until some trifling alarm sets the garrulous converse loosn. 
This chattering is usually finished up with a hurried sort or scream* 
It Is very active in its gestures and not at all shy, being v^ry loth to 
break up its party when fired at, some of its members being occasionally 
bold enough to fly down and hop about their fallen comrade with loud cries, 
and vigorous flapping of their wings, while the rest mount on to the topmost 
boughs of low trees, and jerk themselves to and fro, peering down on their 
assailants, and executing a series'of spasmodic antics. It shuns the soci¬ 
ety of other birds, appearing to affect spots so gloomy and damp as to be 
avoided by all species, except perhaps the Rufous Babbler and the little 
Quaker Thrush; and in these retreats It would no doubt be often passed over 
unnoticed, were it not for Its garrulous habits, which are usually provoked 
when it hears the approach of danger. The stomach of this bird is very 
muscular, and I have often found It contain a quantity of foul black liquid. 
NIDIFICATION 
The breeding season of this bird is from April to July* Full fledged 
nestlings may be found abroad with the parent bird in August, and from this 
I base mg supposition, for I have never found the nest myself. Intelligent 
native woodmen in the western forests who were well acquainted with the bird 
have informed me that it nests4n April, building a large cup shaped nest in 
the fork of a bush branch,, and laying three or four dark blue em/s 
■ vj* •—i ^ • 
