228 Mr. E. L. Layard's Rambles in Ceylon. 



*Hmmdo rustica, L September 12. 



*Merops Philippinus, L Ditto. 



*Pitta triostegus, Sparr Ditto. 



Gallinago stenura, L September 20. 



Macropteryx coronatus, Tickell March. 



Pastor rosetts, L August (late in). 



Ploceus Philippinus, L. . . . July. 



Budytes viridis. Scop September (early in). 



Calliope cyanea, Hodg October 13. 



Cyornis rubeculoides, Vig October 14. 



fHirundo daurica, L December. 



It is difficult to draw the hne between those birds which actually 

 leave the island, and those that only change their residence to breed 

 or procure abundance of food. All the ducks I believe are migratory 

 (except perhaps the little Nettapus coromandelianus, Gmel.) ; they 

 arrive at Pt. Pedro about October or November, but much depends 

 on the lateness of the season, and some species are not found at any 

 time in the southern portions of the island. Again, the Laridce and 

 SternidcB are undoubtedly migratory, some partially, some totally ; 

 but tvhere to draw the line ? I have often entered a species on my list 

 as " totally," when, going on government sendee to another part of 

 the island, out of the influence of the monsoon, lo and behold my 

 " totally migratory species " was quietly fishing away, unconscious of 

 all the perplexity it was giving me ! ! However, I never found the 

 nests of these families in the island. They may breed in the rocks 

 round Trincomalee, but Kelaart will look them up if they do. But 

 how birds do evade one's notice ! I had entered Rhynchcea bengalensis 

 as coming and going with the snipe, when one morning in May I find 

 the birds and nest within gunshot of my house, breeding under my 

 nose in fact, while I thought I knew all about them ! Vexed as I was, 

 I rejoiced in the acquisition of a bit of information, and now record 

 it for your benefit : — Nest, a slight depression in the soil, lined vnth 

 a few bents of grass ; eggs, four in number, of a brownish yellow, 

 marked all over vrith dark blotches, rather more frequent at the 

 obtuse end, apparently at times taking an annular form. 



While crossing the head of the tank we fell in with a large herd of 

 wild hog ; Q. got a long shot, and the " thud" of ball came dull back 

 to our ears : away rushed the scared brutes, one poor wretch leaving 

 the pack and making to the nearest jungle : slipping the dog away, 

 we dashed on, and soon came up with old Ponto worrying poor piggy 

 by the throat. I had a favourable opportunity today of observing 

 the habits of the snipe. Strolling into a little garden at the back of 

 the hut in which we had put up, I detected a snipe busily engaged 

 in thrusting its bill into the mud of a water-course among the plantain 

 trees. On first seeing me, down it squatted, and but for its brilliant 

 large black eye, I should have lost it : seeing that I stood still, it 



* These three species always precede and foretell the arrival of the snipe, 

 t This was probably an accident : only one specimen was procured, that 

 at Pt. Pedro — perhaps driven over from the coast by stress of weather. 



