THE BIRDS OF TRAVANCORE. 13 



(303) Sterna fluviatilis. — The Common Tern. 

 Blandford, No. 1506 ; Jerdon, No. 986. 

 An occasional winter visitor to the coast of South Tra van core. I have 

 noil met with it at all in the North. The few specimens taken have been 

 immature. 



(304) Sterna saundersi. — The Black-shafted Ternlet. 

 Blandford, No. 1511 ; Jerdon, No. 988. 

 A single specimen was shot in North Travancore on the coast in 



January 1903. 



Order STEGANOPODES. 

 Family Pelecani^. 

 (305) Pelecanus philippensis. — The Spotted-hilled Pelican. 

 Blandford, No. 1523 ; Jerdon, No. 1004. 

 I have not secured a specimen of this bird, but it occurs in South 

 Travancore, and I once saw three flying over the parade ground in 

 Trevandrum. 



Family FREGATIM. 

 (306) Fregata ariel. — The Small Frigate-bird. 

 Blandford, No. 1525. 

 A young bird of this species was taken at Perumathoray about ton 

 miles from Trevandrum, ami was brought to me alive. 

 Family PHALACROCORACID^. 

 Sub-family Phalaerocoracince. 

 (307) Phalacrocorax javanicus. — The Little Cormorant. 

 Blandford, No. 1528 ; Jerdon, No. 1007. 

 The Museum does not contain any specimen?, of this bird, but I have 

 seen it in the tanks and lakes in and about Nagercoil in South Tra- 

 vancore. 



Sub-family PlotlnOc. 



(308) Plottts melanogaster. — The Indian Darter or Snake-bird. 



Blanford, No. 1529 ; Jerdon, No. 1008. 



This bird is common on all the larger fresh water lakes throughout 



Travancore. It is abundant on the lake formed by the Pergar dam at 



3,000 feet elevation on the hills, and equally common on the Sasthancotta 



lake in the low country. It breeds here in September as in North 



India and not in February as in Madras and Ceylon. " I once found a 



colony of these birds nesting above the Athirapuzha fall in the Kodasheri 



