276 Lieut. W. V. Lcgge on the Birds of the 



tensis (our common Dove) and the universally distributed 

 Waders of the low country, Actitis hypoleuca, Totanus (jla- 

 reola, Gallinula phoenicura, Buphus coromandus, and Ardeola 

 grayi, muster^ in the localities which suit their habits, in the 

 same force as elsewhere. 



Ornithologically considered, as well as regards vegetation 

 and features of the soil, tliis district divides itself into two 

 portions : — the maritime belt, or sea-board, as I shall term it, 

 which consists of the Niagam and Giramapattus"^, stretching 

 from north of Kattregama, the neighbourhood of the celebrated 

 Hindoo temple of that name, to the confines of the south-west- 

 ern hill-region, near the town of Tangalle ; and the interior, 

 Avhicli consists of the Wellaway and adjoining korles, reaching 

 northwards to the foot of the central-province mountains, 

 bounded on the west by the eastern slopes of the southern 

 hills, and shut in towards the east by ranges of hills stretch- 

 ing towards Batticaloa. These latter wilds, which have never 

 been explored by a naturalist, the whole being one inter- 

 minable jungle, will no doubt yield us some day some inter- 

 esting novelties. In the following list I will enumerate all 

 those species occurring in these limits which deserve special 

 notice, and as regards Raptores, will mention one or two 

 whose absence is conspicuous. 



1. MiCRONISUS BADIUS (Gm.). 



This Sparrowkawk is much less common in this part of the 

 island than I suspected. During my July trip I only saw 

 one example in the Wellaway Korle. In many semiculti- 

 vated districts of the island it is numerous, and, there, is very 

 frequently observed about compounds and cocoa-nut planta- 

 tions near human dwellings. 



2. AcciPiTER viRGATUs (Temm.). 



Thinking that this species might prove one of the treasures 

 of such an out-of-the-way district during the cool season, I 

 looked everywhere for it, but was unsuccessful. All examples 

 that I have as yet met with are from the western side of the 



* Pattu and Korle are the vernacular names for the territorial divisions 

 of the island, which coi-respoud to the English county. 



