541 Mr. F. Lewis on the Land-birds of 



Avhicli the lamp was raised or depressed for lighting purposes, 

 so that the chains could travel over the enclosed wheels 

 without damage to the nest itself ! I might further add that, 

 notwithstanding that the lamp was in nightly use, the young 

 birds were successfully reared, after which the nest was 

 removed, owing to the inconvenience occasioned by its 

 occupants. 



The building-season is generally from April to June, the 

 birds laying three broad eggs of a pale white colour, closely 

 spotted over with warm brown or reddish-brown spots and 

 blotches. 



140. Passer domesticus (Legge, B. of C. p. 600). 

 Abundant all through the province where there are human 



habitations. It is known to the natives of the country as 

 the " Gewal kooroola,^^ or house-hnA, and equally the Tamils 

 from South India, who form the chief labouring class of the 

 island, call our Sparrow '' Ootoo kooroovic," or Aome-bird. 



I am unable to assign any particular season as the 

 breeding-season, and I am equally unable to give a typical 

 example of the colouring of egg. 



141. MOTACILLA MELANOPE (LeggC, B. of C. p. 610). 



A typical migrant to the country during the north-east 

 monsoon. For years I have noted the arrival of this species 

 to take place within the first ten days of September, and 

 during the time of its stay its distribution extends from the 

 lowest to the highest parts of the province. I have found 

 it by the side of some stagnant pool in the wilds of the dry 

 zone, and again following some little stream in the solemn 

 cold forests in the Adam's Peak wilderness. At the time of 

 its departure I have two or three times found a large party 

 of these active little Wagtails congregating on the roof of a 

 house or in the branches of some solitary tree, but their 

 departure, which is in March and up to the beginning of 

 April, is much more gradual than the arrival. 



I have not taken the nest, and am unable to record any 

 instance of local nidificatiou. 



