XXXll 



INTRODUCTION. 



island.^ Knox, in the charming narrative of his cap- 

 tivity, published in the reign of Charles 11. , has de- 

 voted a chapter to the animals of Ceylon, and Dr. 

 Davy has described the principal reptiles : but witli 

 these exceptions the subject is almost untouched in 

 works relating to the colony. Yet a more than ordinary 

 interest attaches to the inquiry, since Ceylon, instead of 

 presenting, as is generally assumed, an identity between 

 its fauna and that of Southern India, exhibits a re- 

 markable diversity of type, taken in connection with 

 the limited area over which they are distributed. The 

 island, in fact, may be regarded as the centre of a 

 geographical circle, possessing within itself forms, whose 

 allied species radiate far into the temperate regions of 

 the north, as well as into Africa, Australia, and the 

 isles of the Eastern Archipelago. 



In the chapters that I have devoted to its elucida- 

 tion, I have endeavoured to interest others in the 

 subject, by describing my own observations and impres- 

 sions, with fidelity, and with as much accuracy as may 

 be expected from a person possessing, as I do, no greater 

 knowledge of zoology and the other physical sciences 

 than is ordinarily possessed by any educated gentleman. 

 It was my good fortune, however, in my journies to 

 have the companionship of friends familiar with many 

 branches of natural science: the late Dr. Gardner, 

 Mr. Edgar L. Layard, an accomplished zoologist. 

 Dr. Templeton, and others ; and I was thus enabled 



* An Historical, Political, and Sta- 

 tistical Account of Ceylon and its De- 

 pendencies, by C. Pridham, Esq. 

 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1849. The au- 

 thor was never, I believe, in Ceylon, 

 but his book is a laborious conden- 



sation of the principal English works 

 relating to it. Its value would have 

 been greatly increased had Mr. 

 Pridham accompanied his excerpts 

 by references to the respective au- 

 thorities. 



