HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



105 



correct order — a labour that I trust I may yet be 

 spared to perform, for I have only been able to explore 

 certain parts of the country, as will be seen by a 

 glance at the rough sketch-map that accompanies 

 these pages. 



Of water birds, or, more correctly speaking, wading 

 birds, I have only been so fortunate as to secure but 

 a very few, as my ramblings have been, with few 

 •exceptions, confined to the hills ; hence I have con- 

 sidered it advisable to head the present series of 

 papers as above. 



In every instance where I have been able to give 

 the classical name, I have done so, and also native 

 names ; but as I have not always had the means of 

 getting my birds identified, I have given only such 

 names as I can depend upon. 



The system that I have followed, is exactly the 

 same as that in the late Dr. Kelaart's " Prodromus 

 Faunae Zeylanicae," while the nomenclature is ac- 

 cording to the various writers that I have been able 

 to consult. 



As space will not admit of a lengthy notice of each 

 bird, I have condensed my observations into as small 

 a space as possible concomitant with the subject. The 

 extreme difficulty, and I may add, scarcity of nests, 

 has rendered it beyond my reach, in all instances, 

 to give remarks on building habits, but where I have 

 been able, they are duly shown. 



It must be understood that a very considerable 

 proportion of the Ceylon birds are migrants, arriving 

 in the north-east monsoon, and retreating with the 

 south-west monsoon ; but in the absence of any 

 direct information, it is impossible to say from whence 

 our migrants come, and it may yet be found that 

 the birds alternately come and go from various parts 

 of the island with the changes of the monsoons. But 

 it would be out of place to give speculations as to 

 migration in these pages, and I leave it to those who 

 have direct information to give upon the subject, to 

 clear up what is at present an uncertainty. 



The various changes of elevation, and accordingly 

 temperature, make it very difficult to give any par- 

 ticular time of the year as the breeding season for 

 Ceylon birds, so much so, that breeding may be 

 observed at any time of the year ; consequently but 

 little can be said as to a definite period for incubation. 

 The liot season is of course the most natural time, but 

 usually at this period, the nights are marked with 

 extreme cold on the hills, and not unfrequently are 

 followed by frost in damp localities. 



A more equal period begins from the end of March, 

 which is succeeded by the burst of the south-west 

 monsoon in April and May, continuing to the middle 

 of October, when the arrival of migrants may be con- 

 sidered at its height. Building is often carried on in 

 the months of October and November, but I think 

 the month of April may be considered tlie best time, 

 though I am not prepared to give it as an actual 

 ■rule. 



ACCIPITRES. 



I. The Crested Eagle [Liiiinaelns cristatelliis), 

 Temm., z'/f/t- Holdsworth, "Catalogue of Ceylonese 

 Birds," P. Z. S. 1872, p. 411, No. n.—S/izactiis Urn- 

 na'etus, Horsf., vide Kelaart. "Ookoosar" of the 

 Singalese, and " Pranthu " of the Tamils. 



Distribution. — This eagle occasionally visits the 

 hills at elevations of 4000 feet and upwards, but is 

 not common. The one I secured was in Dickoya 

 district (4800 ft.)) and had descended upon my poultry 

 when I shot it. 



Size. — Length 2 ft. 2 in. ; span 4 ft. 4 in. ; wing 

 I ft. 4 in. ; tail i ft. ; tarsus 5/3 in. ; height i ft. 

 Sin. 



General colour. — Brown above, tinged v.'ith a shade 



COLOMBO f^O 



TVthcvtt taUBov 



BotiaiiiHV 



htu'tat e<j<i Zlxv 



(kiUf 



DondraHeatl 



Fig. 68. — Sketch'Map of Ceylon. The shaded parts indicate 

 the Author's Collecting Grounds. 



of cream colour. Ci"eam below, with darker shadings 

 upon individual feathers. Wings and tail crossed 

 with broad bars of brown, that are visible both on 

 the upper and lower sides ; under sides of the wings 

 pale, except where marked as above. Legs and tarsi 

 clothed with short feathers, exposed parts yellow ; bill 

 dull black ; irides golden yellow ; claws dull black. 

 Of these the hinder claw is extremely large, being 

 no less than 2\ inches in circumference, from the toe 

 joint to the point. 



2, The Black Eagle {Neopns Malaiensis), Reinw., 

 Holdsworth. Idinaetus Malaiensis, Temm., Kelaart. 

 "Ookoosar," or " Kaloo Ookoosar," of the Singa- 

 lese. "Pranthu," or " Kariipii pranthu" of the 

 Tamils. 



Distribution. — Frequents the lower hills up to 



