103 



CHAP. II. 



BIRDS. 



OF the Birds of the island, upwards of three hundred 

 and twenty ^species have been indicated, for which we 

 are indebted to the persevering labours of Dr. Temple- 

 ton, Dr. Kelaart, and Mr. Layard; but many yet 

 remain to be identified. In fact, to the eye of a 

 stranger, their prodigious numbers, and especially the 

 myriads of waterfowl which, notwithstanding the pre- 

 sence of the crocodiles, people the lakes and marshes in 

 the eastern provinces, form one of the .marvels of Ceylon. 



In the glory of their plumage, the birds of the inte- 

 rior are surpassed by those of South America and 

 Northern India ; and the melody of their song will bear 

 no comparison with that of the warblers of Europe, but 

 the want of brilliancy is compensated by their singular 

 grace of form, and the absence of prolonged and modu- 

 lated harmony by the rich and melodious tones of their 

 clear and musical calls. In the elevations of the Kan- 

 dyan country there are a few, such as the robin of 

 Neuera-ellia 1 and the long-tailed thrush 2 , whose song 

 rivals that of their European namesakes ; but, far be- 

 yond the attraction of their notes, the traveller rejoices 

 in the flute-like voices of the Oriole, the Dayal-bird 3 , and 

 some others equally charming ; when, at the first dawn 

 of day, they wake the forest with their clear reveil. 



It is only on emerging from the dense woods, and 



1 Pratincola atrata, Kelaart. 



2 Kittacincla macrura, Gm. 



3 Copsychus saularis, Linn. Called 

 by the Europeans in Ceylon the 

 " Magpie Robin." This is not to be 

 confounded with the other popular 

 favourite, the "Indian Robin" 



(Thamnobiafulicata, Linn.), which is 

 ^ never seen in the unfrequented 

 jungle, but, like the coco-nut palm, 

 which the Singhalese assert will only 

 flourish within the sound of the human 

 voice, it is always found near the habi- 

 tations of men. 5 ' E. L. LATARD. 



M 2 



