BIRDS OF COLOMBO. 95 



descend during the day to secure any garbage thrown out from 

 boutiques, &c. ; in fact, so large is the crow community becoming 

 that it is akeady a positive nuisance. 



With very few exceptions, I have personally observed all the 

 birds mentioned in the list. My thanks are due to Dr. Pearson, 

 F.L.S., the Director of the Colombo Museum, for the use of 

 specimens from which the accompanying illustrations have been 

 reproduced. 



FamOy CORVIDM. 

 Sub-family Coevin^. 



(4) Corvus macrorhyncus (the Black Crow). Resident. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds) , I., p. 17 : Legge, Birds of Ceylon, 

 p. 346. 



Plumage entirely black. More frequently seen on the outskirts. 



(7) Corvus splendens (the Common Gray-necked Crow). Resident. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), I., p. 20; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 349. 



Smaller than the foregoing species, and the commonest bird of 

 Colombo. It can be distinguished from the larger bird bj'^ its gray 

 neck and size. 



Sub-family Paring. 



(31) Parus atriceps (the Gray-backed Titmouse). Resident. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), I., p. 46 ; Legge, Birds of Ceylon, 

 p. 557. 



The occurrence of this bird in Colombo is rare, but it has recently 

 been reported. It is a familiar bird in the hills, particularly in 

 Nuwara Eliya, where its similarity to the English Tom-tit lends 

 additional effect to the home-like appearance of our sanitorium. 

 The plumage above is bluish ashy and darker beneath, the white 

 cheeks being conspicuous against the black of the head. 



Family CRATEROPODIDM. 



Sub-family Crateropodin^. 



(112) Crateropus striatus (the Seven Sisters, or Common Babbler). 

 Resident. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), I., p. 112 ; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 494. 



The parties of seven sisters seen at the sides of all the roads m 

 Colombo are amongst the commonest of our feathered denizens. 

 The plumage generally is a dowdy brownish hue. round the eye 

 " dirty fleshy white," and " legs sickly yellow.'" 



