BihliograpMcal Notices. 345 



field of the Indian fauna. Besides Blyth, whose labours now possess 

 rather an historical interest, Mr. Layard and Mr. Holdsworth had made 

 most important contributions to our knowledge of the birds of the 

 island — the former adding not less than 110 species to the lists 

 previously published, and supplying valuable information on their 

 habits, in a paper which he contributed to the pages of this journal 

 nearly thirty years ago ; whilst the latter supplemented Layard's 

 list by 24 species, thus bringing the total number of Ceylonese 

 birds to 326, in a carefully edited paper which appeared in 1872 in 

 the ' Proceedings of the Zoological Society.' As mentioned in the 

 beginning of this notice, Captain Legge enumerates 371 species ; of 

 these, two I'inches are known to have been introduced, and 

 eighteen other species rest upon doubtful evidence*. Forty-seven 

 species prove to be peculiar to the island, as are also the two genera 

 or subgenera Elnplirornis and Sturnornis. The majority of these 

 species are nearly allied to hill-forms of the continent of India and 

 Malayasia ; and two crested Eagles of the genus Spizaetus, with the 

 peculiar species of Flycatchers, Bulbuls, and Babbling Thrushes, 

 represent closely allied forms inhabiting the Himalayas and Nil- 

 gherries. The author considers that the avifaima of Ceylon, taken 

 as a whole, is very closely allied to that of the southern portion of 

 the peninsula of India — a conclusion which fully agrees with our 

 present knowledge of the Reptilian fauna. He further points out 

 that in the hiU-regions of the countries where the rainfall is similar, 

 the near affinity of the species is remarkable. The low-lying por- 

 tions in the north of the island possess a similar avifauna to that of 

 the Carnatic, and from that direction receive a cloud of migrants in 

 the cool season. 



Although the fauna of an island which, like Ceylon, is in close 

 proximity to a continent does not possess that intense interest 

 which attaches to that of oceanic islands, it is nevertheless of the 

 highest importance to Biology that the fauna of a district with such 

 defined limits should be worked out completely and in detail, in 

 order to enable the students of future generations to perceive and 

 appreciate those changes which, as we know, are constantly taking 

 place in the distribution, habits, and characteristics of the species. 

 Therefore the importance of this work is to be measured not only 

 by its value to the specialist of the present day, but no less so by the 

 help it offers with respect to those wide biological questions, the 

 solution of which depends on conscientious and accurate records like 

 those contained in the present work. 



A Monograph of the Free and Semi-parasUic Copepoda of the British 

 Islands. By George Stewardson Bradt, M.D., F.L.S. 3 vols. 

 8vo. London, Ray Society, 1878-1880. 



It is, perhaps, hardly necessary in these pages to say any thing in 

 general praise of the Ray Society or of the admirable series of 



* One of these, Sckoenicola plafyura deserves to be included in the number 

 of Ceylonese species, as a specimen in the British Museum is of undoubted 

 authenticity, and its claim to this fauna is at least as strong as that of Neophron 

 ginginianus. 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol vii. 25 



