184 Mr. H. Parker’s Notes from Ceylon. 
Brachypternus xntermedius (Legge). TMs is the com¬ 
mon Woodpeckerat Yil-anknlam. It feeds on the ground 
sometimes. 
Phcenicophaes pyrrhocephalus (Forster). Plentiful at 
Bamb-hara Wihara. At the end of March some birds had 
paired, and dissection showed that the breeding-season was 
not distant; it may be in May. 
Harpactes fasciatus (Forster). Plentiful at Bamb-hara, 
and in forest north-east of Vil-ankulam. 
Anthracoceros coronatus (Bodd.). Three eggs of this 
Hornbill, taken in dense forest in June, were brought to me 
at Vil-ankulam. The men who took them stated that the 
hole was plastered up, as usual with Hornbills, and that 
one of the birds (which they ate) was inside. 
The eggs, which are decidedly small for such a bird, are 
typical ovals. They are glossless, and of a very coarse 
texture (but not chalky), with many pit-marks of varying 
shapes and sizes. Writing on them seemed like writing on 
stone. Their colour is a dull brownish, deep grey cream, 
possibly once nearly white and now discoloured; many of 
the pit-marks are stained by dirt, which gives the shell a 
spotted appearance. In a suitable position the eggs exhibit 
a sub-spotting of white, apparently caused by small portions 
of shell with a finer texture than the rest. The lining is 
white. Two measure 2*04 in. by 1*53 in.; the other is P96 
in. by 1*48 in. Fortunately they were hard-set, so that the 
young birds could be identified; these had the usual large 
bills, but of course no “ horn.” 
Ceyx tridactyla (Pall.). This lovely Kingfisher appa¬ 
rently f requents all the streams of the drier “ low-country 33 
districts. One flew through my room at Bamb-hara Wihara. 
Merops swinhoii (Hume). March, April (Tissa). 
Caprimulgus asiaticus (Lath.). June (Tissa), July 
(Vil.), August (Hamb.), October (Mannar). 
Lanius cristatus (Linn.). Twice recorded at Tissa on 
October 7th ; it leaves at the end of April. 
