114 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



Nicholl {Ibis, Oct., 1906, p. 692) says he saw the larger species 

 " close one wing and plunge downwards." 



The plumage above is black, and below dark brown. Immature 

 birds are lighter underneath, with chest and abdomen white. Tail 

 long and deeply forked. 



Family PHAETHONID^. 



(1534) Phaethon flavirostris (the White Tropic Bird). 



Blandford, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), IV. ; Legge, Birds of Ceylon, 

 p. 1172. 

 A rare visitor to the coasts of Ceylon. 



Family ABDEIDM. 



(1562) Bubulcus coromandus (the Cattle Egret). Resident. 



Blandford, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), IV., p. 389; Legge, Binds 

 of Ceylon, p. 1147. 

 Seen occasionally in the swamps on the outskirts of Colombo. 



(1565) Ardeola gray! (the Pond Heron). Resident. 



Blandford, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), IV., p. 393 ; Legge, Birds 

 of Ceylon, p. 1150. 



Th6 most familiar bird on any piece of water in or near Colombo. 

 In flight the large white wings are most conspicuous, but when once 

 it settles it tucks them away so that they are not seen, and as the 

 plumage generally resembles the greenish-yellowish grass of the 

 swamps, the bird to all intents and purposes disappears from sight. 



Family PODICIPEDIDM. 



(1617) Podicipes albipennis (the Little Indian Grebe, or Dabchick). 

 Resident. 



Blandford, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), IV., p. 475 ; Legge, Birds 

 of Ceylon, p. 1059. 



Except for a very slight difference in colour this bird is the same 

 as the familiar Dabchick found on the ponds in England. It 

 frequents the Colombo lake in large numbers at certain times of 

 the year, and a small colony can generally be seen on the water off 

 the Fort railway station. 



The following is a list of common birds seen round Colombo, 

 which scarcely, if ever, come within the confines of the city : — 



(252) Chloropsis jerdoni (the Green Bulbul). Resident. 



Blandford, Fauna Br. Ind. (Birds), I., p. 238 ; Legge, Birds of 

 Ceylon, p. 485. 



