Birds in Southern Ceylon. 11 



town of Galle. An exceedingly interesting series thus fell 

 into my possession, from the white hiead to the adult grey 

 wings and black primaries. I have not met with any birds 

 entirely brown. The next stage of plumage to the buff- white 

 head is the beautiful buff-marked least wing-coverts, which 

 are accompanied by the golden iris and yellow cere and feet 

 of the adult. During the north-east monsoon-rains in De- 

 cember these birds feed much on fish in the flooded flat lands 

 of the south. I have shot them devouring large "lulu" 

 fish more than a pound in weight. 



Among the Strigidse inhabiting Ceylon the common species 

 in the south are Ketupa ceylonensis and Ephialtes lempigi, 

 the latter being, of course, the most plentiful. I have kept 

 this bird in confinement ; and when angered it spreads out its 

 wings, erects its " ears," and oscillates its body from side to 

 side, uttering a low growl. Rufous varieties are very rare in 

 Ceylon ; but they do exist, a fine example having come into 

 my possession last year. Ketupa ceylonensis breeds in hollow 

 trees ; the eggs are white, of a rather rough texture. They 

 measure, axis 2"28, diameter 1*72 inches, and are hatched 

 in the south at the end of February. I am of opinion 

 that, although in suitable localities they do frequent the bor- 

 ders of inland tanks and rivers, and consequently feed much 

 on fish, reptiles form their usual food. I have taken an entire 

 snake, which had been swallowed intact, from the stomach of 

 one of these birds. They are more numerous about the low 

 hills near Galle than in our mountain-district. In all speci- 

 mens that have come under my notice I have found the bill 

 (contrary to Jerdon^s description) to be dusky greenish, with 

 a dark side-patch near the tip. Athene castanonota is here 

 and there met with in the wooded regions of our province, 

 but it is not plentiful. Syrnium indranee is by no means un- 

 common, inhabiting the primeval forest (styled in Cingalese 

 " Mookalaney ") at no great distance from Galle. It breeds 

 in February and March ; and since I have been stationed here 

 I have been fortunate enough to procure from natives two 

 nestUngs, which are now in my aviary. The older of the two, 

 which I have had nearly a year, has never once hooted or made 



