30 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



great care of them on the voyage. I have shipped them per 

 steamer proceeding to Klang or Selangor, where the Resident- 

 General and Mr. Carey are. 



I have, &c., 



A. D. NEUBRONNER. 



E, V. Carey, Esq., Chairman, United Planters' Association, 

 Federated Malay States, to the Resident-General, 

 Federated Malay States. 

 Klang, Selangor, Federated Malay States, 

 January 28, 1903. 



Ceylon Crows. 

 Sir, — In continuation of my letter of the 5th instant* I have 

 the honour to report as follows : — 



1. There have been no more fatalities amongst the crows. The 



whole batch of 56 have now been set free, and so far show no 



inclination to desert the locality. They were released as recorded 



below: — 



Birds. 



On 9th January ... ... 12 



On 12th January ... ... 6 



On 16th January ... ... 14 



On 17th January ... ... 12 



On 27th January ... ... 12 



Total ... 56 



The first lot were let out within four days of their arrival, 

 because several of them looked weakly and as if they were 

 suffering from the confinement. An equal number of healthy 

 crows were at the same time given their liberty, as I thought 

 that the example of those able to take care of themselves would 

 perhaps be beneficial to their less robust brethren in the way of 

 encouraging them to forage for food, &c. Finding the first birds 

 disinclined to fly away from the place, I gradually let the others 

 out as shown above, keeping a dozen only until yesterday, in order 

 to observe their behaviour in captivity, and see if a prolonged 

 confinement would in any way effect them adversely. I am 

 pleased to say that, far from this being the case, they got fresher 

 every day and their plumage brighter. 



2. Food. — From the date of their arrival here the birds always 

 fed well, preferring raw meat to anything, and not being incon- 

 venienced by it being several days old. At one time they had a 



* ThiB letter has not been included in the correspondence forwarded to me. — 

 A. W. 



