148 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



NOTES CHIEFLY ON BIRDS SEEN AT THE PEARL FISHERY CAMP, 

 MARCH AND APRIL, 1905. 



By W. E. Wait. 



'T3IRD-LIFE in the dry littoral zone of the north-western part 

 -■— ^ of the Island possesses many distinctive features, and as the 

 birds which for three-quarters of the year are left in undisturbed 

 possession of the camp site do not appear to be scared away by the 

 bustle during the fishery, one constantly saw forms or marked 

 habits unnoticed elsewhere. 



Among the flocks of Brahminy Kites and Gray Crows which 

 gathered over the offal on the beach, one generally saw two or 

 three Marsh Harriers {Circus ceruginosiis). The Common and 

 Blue-tailed Bee-eaters {Merops viindis and philli2'>ensifi) chose the 

 same unsavoury haunts to feast on the swarms of flies. There 

 was a foetid pool fed by the drain which carried off the refuse 

 water from Mr. Dixon's oyster-washing machine. Here they 

 might be seen not ox\\y hawking for insects on the surface, but 

 dipping their beaks into the water, probably to fish out the 

 drowned maggots which were carried down in myriads. 



On the short walk from my bungalow just above the beach to 

 the Kachcheri a few hundred yards inland I invariably met with 

 the Rufous Rumped Shrike (Lanius caniceps) flitting among the 

 mustard trees. This bird, which is I believe almost confined to the 

 Manaar District, was one of the commonest in camp. Towards the 

 end of the Fishery while out on an evening stroll with Mr. Ferguson 

 we saw one attack a large rat-snake. 



The bird swooped down into some high grass near the road, and 

 we watched to see what it had caught. Immediately a six-foot 

 rat-snake came out into the open, followed by the shrike, which 

 pecked viciously at its head. The snake made straight for a 

 hollow tree close by, up which it disappeared, and the bird, 

 catching sight of us, flew away. It had probably been driving off 

 the intruder from its nest, but the wonder is that a bird no larger 

 than a thrush cowed such a big snake. 



Between the Governor's and the Government Agent's bungalows 

 lay a small open space on which stood two or three gnarled trees. 

 These were frequently occupied by a few Chestnut-headed Bee- 

 eaters (i/. Sivinhuii) and a pair of Hoopoes {Upupa ceylunensis). 



