187 
Mr. H. Parker's Notes from Ceylon. 
Acridotheres melanosternus (Legge). August, Nov. 
(Tissa), July, Nov. (Vil.). Appears to breed throughout 
the year. 
Eulabes ptilogenys (Blyth). Not uncommon at Ramb- 
hara Wihara. 
Columba intermedia (Strickl.). June (S.E. coast). 
Coturnix chinensis (Linn.). August (Tissa). 
Gallinulachloropus. March, June, July (Tissa). The 
Moorhen shows great mobility of habits in Ceylon. In the 
north-west (Mannar district only) it is numerous and a 
regular migrant; in the extreme south-east it is numerous 
and a permanent resident; while throughout the rest of the 
island it is only known as one of the rarest species, and, so 
far as I am aware, no addition has been made to the three 
specimens recorded in the f Birds of Ceylon.' Considering 
the size of the island, this appears to be an abnormal distri¬ 
bution. 
In the north-west this bird is excessively shy, it is rarely 
found near the shore, it is almost impossible to flush, and it 
never leaves the dense sedge in which it hides. In the south¬ 
east, on the contrary, it is as tame as in England, it is quite 
commonly found near the margins of open sheets of water, 
and it flies at once on being frightened. Finally, it has 
been known to breed—once at Mannar, and twice at Tissa. 
Eeb.: $ (Mannar, breeding). Length 13*30 inches; ex¬ 
panse 21*30; wing 6*70; tarsus 1*95; tail 3*20; bill 1*20. 
June : ? (Tissa, breeding)." Length 13*40 inches ; expanse 
21*62; wing 6*72; tarsus 2*10; tail 3*40; bill from gape 
1*15. 
Porphyrio poliocephalus (Lath). July (Tissa). As Col. 
Legge records it in the early part of the year, the Blue Coot 
must have two broods in the south-east. 
The nestling is black-haired. It has a white bill, the base 
being crimson at the sides; purple or lilac casque; reddish- 
purple legs ; lilac toes; spur on the winglet lilac and very 
prominent. 
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