14 Lieut. W. Y. Legge on the Distribution of 
sects, these Bee-eaters congregate in large flocks over the Fort 
of Galle, uttering their curious notes and wheeling round and 
round in circles, out of which they dart every instant into the 
hosts of creatures which surround them. Of Kingfishers, 
Halcyon capensis , H. smyrnensis, Alcedo bengalensis, and 
Ceryle rudis are all that a most diligent search has rewarded 
me with. Halcyon capensis affects for the most part river- 
banks, generally betraying its whereabouts by its loud dis¬ 
cordant cries. Ceryle rudis is plentiful on the Gindurah 
river and its tributaries, and breeds in February in the clayey 
banks, excavating a high vault at the end of the hole, and 
laying generally four eggs ; the young, which differ from the 
adult in having the black pectoral band complete, remain in 
the nest for some time after they are able to fly, and, when 
they do come forth from their hiding-place, are often to be 
seen sitting huddled together on the grassy bank of the river. 
Tockus gingalensis ranges from the highest down to the 
lowland forests, frequenting the tallest trees in them, and is 
more numerous in the latter than in the mountains or in any 
part of Ceylon that I have as yet explored. Palceornis alex - 
andrij P. rosa , and P. calthropa are the Parrakeets of this 
region; the former is only a straggler and is found in the 
neighbourhood of the sea. P. rosa is numerous from the low 
country up to the highest parts of the Morowa Korle, being 
found in the greatest numbers in the intermediate hills. 
Layard’sParrakeet is more abundant in theMorowa-Korle and 
the Leori-King forests than anywhere else in the island, and, 
like most of the Ceylon birds, ranges down to a lower ele¬ 
vation here than in other parts. I found it a few months ago 
in great numbers in the intermediate valleys of the Gindurah 
river, at a height of only 200 or 300 feet above the sea. They 
are very fond of thick groves in the forests, and in the morn¬ 
ing, when feeding on their favourite fruits and berries, are very 
tame; towards evening they become very restless, and are 
constantly on the wing, settling in little flocks on the tops of 
the highest trees, roaming over the surrounding forests, as P. 
rosa does in the coffee-districts, and dashing up and down the 
mountain-valleys with amazing rapidity. Our little Lorikeet, 
