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CHAPTEE I. 



MAMMALIA. 



WITH the exception of the Mammalia and Birds, the 

 fauna of Ceylon has, up to the present, failed to receive 

 that systematic attention to which its richness and variety 

 so amply entitle it. The Singhalese themselves, habitually 

 indolent, and singularly unobservant of nature and her 

 operations, are at the same time restrained from the study 

 of natural history by the tenet of their religion which 

 forbids the taking of life under any circumstances. From 

 the nature of their avocations, the majority of the 

 European residents, engaged in planting and commerce, 

 are discouraged by want of leisure from cultivating the 

 taste ; and it is to be regretted that the civil servants of 

 the government, whose position and duties would have 

 afforded them influence and extended opportunities for 

 successful investigation, have never seen the importance 

 of encouraging such studies. 



The first effective impulse to the cultivation of natural 

 science in Ceylon, was communicated by Dr. Davy when 

 connected with the medical staff of the army from 1816 

 to 1820, and his example stimulated some of the assistant- 

 surgeons of Her Majesty's forces to make collections in 

 illustration of the productions of the colony. Of these the 

 late Dr. Kinnis was one of the most energetic and success- 

 fid. He was seconded by Dr. Templeton of the Eoyal 

 Artillery, who engaged assiduously in the investigation of 

 various orders, and commenced an interchange of speci- 

 mens with Mr. Blyth 1 , the distinguished naturalist and 

 curator of the Calcutta Museum. The birds and rarer 



Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. xv. p. 280, 314. 

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