( ^« ) 



south-east verandah is a young specimen of the " Two-horned "' 

 .Skate {Dicei'oha/iis erer/oodoo), exhibited with the lower side up 

 displaying the gill-clefts with the gills showing through. In 

 another trough on the opposite north-east verandah is another 

 well-preserved Sting Ray of the species Trygon, sephen, and near 

 to this is a young Beaked Ray (AetoOatis narinari). The skates 

 and rays feed largely upon ci-abs and molluscs. 



The fairly numerous specimens of Teleostean or bony fishes 

 which are exhibited in the wall cases are somewhat remarkable 

 on account of the well-preserved colour markings, which in many 

 cases have retained their freshness after the lapse of several years, 

 in a gum and glycerine mixture adopted by Mr. Haly. Against 

 the window beside the Thresher Shark is a good example of the 

 Swordfish (Histiophorus gladius). The large stuffed fish in the 

 bottom shelf of the adjoining v/all case is a Wrasse (Labridae). 

 The parrot wrasses, fishes of brilliant colours, feeding in the 

 neighbourhood of coral reefs at Galle, for example, with parrot- 

 like beak consisting of teeth soldered together, belong to the 

 genus Pseuddscarus of the Wrasse family. I'he " Red Mullet" of 

 the Colombo market is Serranus sonnerati, of the Perch family. 

 The Seirfish, the staple fish food of Colombo, belongs to the 

 Mackerel family (Scombridae), and is named Cyhiwn gnitatwm.^ 



The jumping fishes to be seen about the rocks at Mount Laviuia 

 and Galle are blennies of the genus Salarias ; and the mud- 

 skippers of Negombo are gobies of the genus P(>riophthal)nas. 



The principal fresh-water fishes of Ceylon are the Carps (Cypri- 

 nidse), including the Indian game fish called the Mahseer (Barbus 

 tor)y the Ophiocephali, tank-fishes, the Labyrinthici or " climbing 

 perches" {Anabas scandens and Polyacanthas signatus), and 

 the Catfishes (Silurida^). One genus of catfishes, Arias, called 

 " anguluwa" in Sinhalese, occurring at Panadure, Kalutara, and 

 elsewhere, has the remarkable peculiarity that the males carry the 

 eggs, 15-20 in number, in their mouths until they are hatched. 



INSECTS. 



' The Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are shown in eight 

 table cases placed near the Eagle and Peacock Groups. 



The Moths or Nocturnal Lepidoptera commence in Table Case II. 

 with the family Saturniidae, the caterpillars of which spin silken 

 cocoons in which they pupate and from which they emerge in the 

 adult or imago phase of their life-history. This family comprises 

 the largest moths found in Ceylon, namely, the Lunar Moth 



* Not exhibited. There is an extensive tunny fishery (Tkynnm thunnitia) off 

 Balapitiya during the north-east monsoon, and the fish are daily sent to Colombo. 



