ORNITHOLOGY. 



" The dodo may possibly be found there — and the cas* 

 sowary may perhaps be met with," observed Dr. Pearson 

 in his official charge to Dr. Heifer, when the latter was 

 about to proceed on his scientific mission to these Provin- 

 ces. The dodo and cassowary were about as probably 

 inhabitants of this Coast, as the phcenix and ostrich : but 

 the remark shows how little was known of our ornitholo- 

 gy a dozen years ago. Indeed it remained quite a blank 

 until Mr. Blyth was appointed Curator of the Asiatic So- 

 ciety's Museum. He examined and named the collec- 

 tions made by Heifer and others in these Provinces, and 

 those gathered by Captains Phayre and Abbott in Arracan, 

 so that by far the greater proportion of our birds are now 

 known. Still, there undoubtedly remain many new 

 species to be discovered ; for often birds that frequented 

 my compound in Maulmain, one proved to be a new 

 species. 



RAPACIOUS BIRDS. 

 The RaptoreS) or rapacious birds, are numerously re- 

 presented in these Provinces. We have about thirty spe- 

 cies of vultures, eagles, kites, buzzards, harriers, falcons, 

 hawks, goshawks, fish-hawks, and owls. 



CHINESE VULTURE. 



The Chinese vulture, of a brownish black colour, is of- 

 ten seen in great numbers, even in the suburbs of our 

 largest towns. 



Vulture huconotus. 



coSscou ll^Oi. cSiooSn 



PONDICHERRY VULTURE. 



This is called by the natives the red-headed vulture, 

 from the flesh-coloured skin on the sides of its head and 

 neck. It is not so abundant as the preceding species. 

 Vulture yondicerianas. 



