OF BIRDS IN BRITISH BURMAH. 475 



belonged to the same sub-group as all of these, and yet they 

 have a distinctive character of their own. 



In shape they are broad ovals, but they are rather more 

 pointed towards the small end than are those of any of the 

 species above referred to; and, though they have the same 

 glossy china to creamy white ground and the same purple 

 markings, these latter are rather darker in colour, and as 

 a whole more pronounced and more spotty and speckly than 

 those of any of the species above enumerated. They scarcely 

 show any of the peculiar angular hieroglyphic-like lines 

 and scratches so common in the eggs of moluccensis, megar- 

 JipicJia, cuculata and cyanea ; and, though in this respect the 

 markings approach those of nipalensis and brachyura, they are 

 smaller and blacker than those of the eggs of those two species, 

 and show scarcely any of the reddish purple tint that charac- 

 terises so many of the spots in both nipalensis and brachyura. — 

 A.O.H.] F J 



Sfatys, chufiv (Dotojgkat, from ^io\i\x-Wqst %|tjm. 



By H. Parker, C.E. 



The following notes, being supplementary to Captain Legge's 

 History of the Birds of Ceylon, his nomenclature has been 

 adhered to, with the ordinary numbers and arrangement. They 

 refer almost entirely to the Mannar district. 



25— Accipiter virgatus, Tern. 



One nest of this Sparrow Hawk, found in June, was situated 

 in a small tamarind tree overhanging the main road. It was 

 about 35 feet from the ground, in a vertical fork among the 

 small twigs on the top of the tree, and in appearance resembled 

 the ruins of a Crow's nest. It was constructed of small sticks 

 and twigs, without any lining, and was a very thin, ragged 

 structure ; all but the centre could be seen through. It was 

 about 18 inches wide exteriorly, and the saucer-shaped 

 egg cavity was nine inches across. It contained one nestling, 

 partly feathered, looking Like a miniature young Spizaetus, with 

 a dark-grey iris, and a pale or lemon-yellow tarsus and foot. 

 I temporarily left the bird in charge of my horse-keeper, who 

 allowed either a Kite or a Spizaetus to carry it off; it seems, 

 therefore, that raptors do sometimes " pyke out Hawks e'en." 



When the man who climbed up the tree approached the nest, 

 the young Hawk stood erect, extending its wings and opening 

 wide its mouth, and effectually frightening him, although it 

 was too young to make use of its bill. The mother-hawk 



