48* 
GALL'US LAFAYETTI I 
(THE CEYLON JUNGLE FOWL) 
ADULT MALE 
A 
Length of examples with fine tails (whioh vary in length) 26 to 28 inch¬ 
es; wing 6 ).2 to 9.5; tail 13 to 15; tarsus 3*2 to 3.4; middle toe 1.7 to 
1.8; its o law (straight) . 5 to .6; bill to gape 1.2. Length of comb fore¬ 
head to extremity 3.2 to 3.3; spur .7 to 1.2. 
FEMALE 
Length about 13.75 inches; wing 7 to 8; tail 3.5; tarsus 2.3 to 2.5; 
middle toe and claw 2 to 2.1; bill to. gape 1.1. 
DISTRIBUTION 
The Jungle Fowl is more or less scattered through the dry jungly dist¬ 
ricts of the low country, and diffused throughout the hills of the Southern 
and Central Provinces. It is rather rare in the jungles of the maritime 
portions of the Western Province and South-western districts, and is not 
common even in the forests of the interior. It is occasionally brought 
intoColombo and Galle by natives, but very seldom indeed into the former 
town* 
During my rambles in the jungles of the Hewagam and Raygam Korales I ne¬ 
ver heard its note; but further inland, in the Three and Four Korales, in 
Saffragam, and in the Pasdun Korale, I have listened to its well known cry. 
Likewise, in the hilly jungles of the South-western district, I have not 
met with it near the sea, but I have seen it about Oodagama, and further up 
at the base of the ranges, it becomes more plentiful. 
On the Eastern slopes of the Morowak Korale, where a drier climate pre¬ 
vails, it finds a more congenial home, and along the Veil away river, and f rj 
from that Eastward, it is numerous. ' In the maritime portions of the South 
east it abounds, delighting in the dense euphorbia scrubs along the sea 
coast* From this section of country round the East coast to the North of 
the Island it is very numerous, and inhabits all the Northern foresis, ex¬ 
tending down the West side as far South as the Kurunegala district. 
In the hills it is resident, and breeds commonly up to about 5000 feet. 
On t h e New era Ellia plateau and up on the Horton plains it is very abundant 
during the North-east monsoon, coming up from lower down on the hills, and 
probably, to some extent, from the- low country, to feed on the seeds of the 
Nillo* it is probable that many remain throughout the year in thes^ up- 
