Migration in North-ivest Ceylon. 



193 



quata), tlie ancient " salt-pans " being frequented by immense 

 numbers of the true migratory Grallatores — Curlews, Plovers, 

 Stints, Sandpipers, &c. 



The rainfall, which is the smallest in Ceylon, is compared 

 with that of stations not more than 500 feet above sea-level 

 in other Provinces in the preceding Tables (p. 192). 



Willi an annual evaporation of nearly 70 inches, the 

 natural result of the very small south-west monsoon rainfall 

 is the drying-up of almost all the tanks throughout the 

 district, accom])anied, of course, by the disappearance of all 

 the aquatic weeds and plants that overran them, and the fish 

 that filled them during the early months of the year. 



These influences have led to a veiy decided alteration in 

 the time of breeding of many of the birds, and have also 

 necessitated their absence from the district during the dry 

 season. The breeding-season of all those species more or 

 less direcily dependent on the food obtainable from the 

 tanks, or the abundance of wdiose food is partially or in- 

 directly dependent on the rainfall, or that seek the pro- 

 tection afforded by large sheets of water, takes place during 

 the north-east monsoon. The birds which breed during that 

 monsoon in the south of Ceylon breed much earlier at 

 Mannar, evidently in order to rear their young while food is 

 plentiful. .In illustration of this, the following Table shows 

 the ascertained date of nesting of some species'^: — 



South Ceylon. 

 Ilaliastur indus Feb., Mar. 



MiNNAR. 



Eemarks. 



Milvus govinda . . . 

 Ketupa ceyloneiisis 

 PaliBornis torquata 



Alcedo bengaleusis . 

 Malacocercus striatus 



Dec. to Feb. Feeds ou frogs, fish, and crabs 



in tanks. 

 Nov. to Jan. „ „ 



Jan., Feb. „ ,, 



Jan., Feb. Nests in trees surrounded by 

 floods ; later in other posi- 

 tions. 

 Feb. to June. Dec. et xeq. At the tanks ; later at streams. 

 Mar. to July. Jan. to Oct. First brood chiefly in Februarv. 



. . Feb. to Apr. 

 . . Mar., Apr. 



* The dates for " South Ceylon " are taken from Major Legge's excellent 

 ' History of the Birds of Ceylon,' 1880. 



