BIRDS OF COLOMBO. 101 



Family FRINGILLIDM. 



Sub-family FmNGiLLiNiE. 



(776) Passer domesticus (the Common House Sparrow). Resi- 

 dent. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), II., p. 236; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 600. 



Family HlRUNDlNlDM. 



(813) Hirundo rustica (the Swallow). Migrant. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), II., p. 277 ; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 587. 



This familiar bird is a migrant, arriving at the end of September, 

 and later on is found in large numbers over open spaces, such as 

 the Galle Face, racecourse, golf links, &c. Many people have been 

 surprised to hear that the English Swallow occurs in Ceylon. 



(825) Hirundo hyperythra (the Ceylon Swallow). 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), II., p. 284; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 592. 



Peculiar to the Island. I thmk a partial migrant, for I have only 

 noticed it at certain times. Very much like the common Swallow, 

 except that there is a large amount of chestnut on the under parts 

 and rump. Its flight is feeble, and thus makes identification an 

 easy matter. 



Family MOTAGILLIDM. 



(833) Motacilla borealis (the Gray-headed Wagtail). Migrant. 



Gates, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), II., p. 294; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 617. 



This familiar winter visitor arrives at the beginning of Gctober, 

 and within a fortnight large numbers are to be seen on the Galle 

 Face and other open spaces. The variety of plumage in which this 

 bird appears at first is often bewildering. Some birds could easily 

 be mistaken for common Pipits, whereas the yellow breast is 

 promment in others. It is , however , not easy to mistake a Wagtail, 

 and although the plumage may vary to such an extent as to suggest 

 the possibility of there being two or more different kinds of birds, 

 I believe all the Wagtails seen in Colombo belong to this species. 

 I have heard residents remark, in March, that when the small yellow 

 birds appear it is a true sign that the hot weather has set in. They 

 little suspect these birds have been here during the cool season, and 

 that they don their yellow waistcoats preparatory to their departure 

 in April. I have recorded an albino of this species {SpoHa Zeylanica , 

 Vol. VI., Part XXIV., p. 173). 



