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Britain through Europe, Asia, and Africa, and occurs in the tanks 

 of Ceylon, though rare ; finally, the Purple Moorhen (Porphyrio 

 poliocephalns) is a handsome Indo-Ceylonese bird common in 

 parts of the low-country. 



The bottom shelf in front commences the series of Limicoline 

 birds, Plovers and Snipes and their allies. The Stone Curlew 

 (CEdicnemus scolopax) is a north-east migrant to Ceylon, the Great 

 Stone Plover (Esacus recurvirostris) is a resident shore bird ; both 

 belong'to one family, the CEdicnemidae. The Crab Plover {Dromas 

 ardeola), another shore bird, which also breeds in Ceylon, is the 

 sole type of the family Dromadidae. 



In the reverse half of this case, commencing from the top, will 

 be found Courier Plovers and Swallow Plovers, shore birds of the 

 family Glareolidse ; Water Pheasants {Hydrnphasianuschiriirgus)^ 

 Parridas, a common low-country bird : the Turnstone, Lapwings, 

 Plovers, Oyster-catcher, Stilt,* Avocet,t Curlew, Whimbrel, 

 Sandpipers, J and Stints, all shore birds and waders belonging to the 

 family Charadriidae ; Woodcock {Scolopax rusticula), a rare migrant, 

 and Snipes (Seolopacidae), of which the best known are the 

 Pintail Snipe {Gallinago stenura), a north-east migrant common 

 from September to April, and the Painted Snipe {Rostratula 

 capensis), a resident of the low country, widely distributed in 

 South Asia and Africa. 



Many of the shore birds, like the sea birds, gulls, and terns, have 

 a very wide distribution. The circum-littoral range of the 

 Turnstone {Strepsilas interpres) throughout both hemispheres is 

 remarkable. The Oyster-catcher {H(emato2ms ostralegus) is con- 

 fined to the Old World. The range of the Gray Plover {Squatarola 

 lielvetica) is world-wide ; it breeds in the far north and is a winter 

 visitor to India, Ceylon, and Burma [Blanford]. 



BIRD CASES III. AND IV. 

 The next couple of bird cases contain the one a group of Acci- 

 pitrine birds,§ Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Kestrels ; the other a 

 group of Peafowl {Pavo cristatun). This latter is the principal 

 game bird of Ceylon, and in fact the most stately bird in the 

 Island. A frequent oi'nament in parks and gardens in Europe, it 

 lives here in its native haunts. It feeds and nests upon the 

 ground, but roosts in the topmost branches of trees, whence it 



* Shown in another case (see below). 



t Au occasional migrant, not in the Museum collection. 



+ The Sandpipers are well known locally by the colloquial Sinhalese name 

 "siri-biri"; they are also sometimes called Snippets, because they somewhat re- 

 nemble Snipes in their habits. 



§ Other Accipitrine birds, Harriers and Falcons, are shown in another case (hm 

 below) . 



( 



