4 SPOTJA ZKYLAXICA. 



the Malabar Coast Tract from the Central Provinces and tlio 

 Carnatic. 



The investigation of the fauna of Ceylon may be approached 

 from at least three standpoints (excluding, for the moment, the 

 economic side of the question), namely, zoogoographical, faunistic, 

 and local or insular. Moreover, from whatever point of view the 

 subject be regarded, the fauna of Ceylon presents a daal character. 



From its purely faunistic aspect the dual character of the fauna 

 depends upon the fact that, in addition to tlie relict or continental 

 types, to some of which allusion has already been made, Ceylon 

 possesses an extensive series of endemic or peculiar types. 



Considered zoogeographically, it has been shown by Captain 

 Legge* and by Dr. Blanford that the Ceylon area comprises two 

 tracts, namely, the Northern Ceylon Tract, including the Northern 

 and Eastern Provinces, with an average rainfall of about 50 inches ; 

 and, secondly, the Hill Ceylon Tract, comprising the Central, 

 Western, and Southern Provinces, with an average rainfall exceed- 

 ing 100 inches. The Northern Tract is defined by Dr. Blanford 

 as being " in fact a part of the Carnatic with higher rainfall 

 and with much more forest," while the Hill Tract "must be 

 regarded as a part of the Malabar Tract." 



From the local or insular standpoint, the faunal elements are 

 grouped under the two headings of low-country and up-country 

 types. As might be expected, there is a great amount of over- 

 lapping in the local distribution of particular species, and the 

 special characteristics of the fauna of the various Provinces of 

 the Island have yet to be ascertained with such precision, for 

 example, as that with which the birds of Sabaragamuwa have 

 been dealt with by Mr. F. Lewis.f It may be hoped that, in 

 course of time, we shall obtain further information on this matter 

 of local distribution by means of a system of careful records of 

 the occurrence of species in different localities and at different 

 times and seasons. 



Of the 360 species of birds which have been recorded from 

 Ceylon, as many as forty -nine, or nearly one-seventh, are peculiar 

 to the island. The numl)er of genera in which the species are 

 grouped is 240, of which, as noted by Dr. Blanford, eighty-two, or 

 rather more than one-third, belong to one oi-der, namely, the 

 Passeres. Only six genera of birds are })eculiar to the island, and 

 five of these are passerine. 



* Legge, W. V. A History of the Birds of Ceylon {ridf Introduction, p. xiii. 

 London, 1880.) 



t Lewis, F. Field-notes on the Land Birds of the Province of Sabaragamuwa, 

 Ibis, 1898. Part L. pp. 334-35G ; Part II., pp. .524-5.51 



