FROM NOUTH-WEST CEYLON. 487 



claw, 0'3S ; tibia unfeathered, 0'75 ; bill at front, 1*45, at (jape, 

 164. Iris deep brown; orbits bright yellow; bill bright 

 leaden at the base, darker at the tip and culmen ; legs and feet 

 leaden, lightest at the tibia ; claws black ; weight, 14 ozs. 

 Another specimen, shot by one of my men, had a length of 

 15 inches ; it was eaten before I obtained its other dimensions. 



The former bird was captured on its eggs, which were depo- 

 sited in a hole in a tree standing in a tank, without any nest. 

 There were ten eggs, their dimensions, including two others, 

 procured, being mean 1-68" X 1*33"; maximum length, 1*76", 

 breadth 1-36"; minimum length, 1-59" ; breadth, 1-30". In 

 texture and colour they resemble the eggs of the larger bird, 

 but are slightly nanower ovals. 



These birds are well known by the villagers of the district, and 

 frequent the same tanks as the ordinarj' - Whistling Teal, but do 

 not associate with it, and usually keep in small flocks of 10 or 

 15 birds. Their habits and note are the same as those of the 

 larger race. I have seen several flocks, but failed to procure 

 other birds. They can be distinguished, when on the wing, by 

 their small size. 



953.— Dendrocygna fulva, Gm. 



This is new to our Avifauna. In December 1880, nine speci- 

 mens of this bird were killed at one shot in Mannar island. 

 They came under the notice of Mr. G. Simpson, of the Tele- 

 graph Department, who, with the aid of " Jerdon/' identified them 

 as the large Whistling Teal. They were consigned to that limbo 

 of many another rare bird, the " pot," and no dimensions were 

 recorded; but Mr. Simpson possesses such an intimate acquain- 

 tance with the Ducks and Teal of Ceylon that it is very impro- 

 bable he was mistaken. I have since learnt that these birds not 

 unfrequently visit Mannar in the cold season, and have several 

 times been shot by native sportsmen. 



982.— Sterna caspia, Pall. 



June. — Considerable numbers of these birds, mostly non- 

 breeders I believe, frequent the sand banks near Mannar 

 throughout the year. When examining the banks at Adam's 

 Bridge, I came upon a colony of six nests of these fine Terns, 

 containing nine eggs. Tbey were shallow hollows scratched in the 

 sand, from five to seven inches wide, and one to one half inches 

 deep. Two had a partial lining of twigs and a few shells, but 

 the others were without any. The number of eggs was one or 

 two. The nests were on the highest ridge of the bank, all 

 near together, from one foot to about six feet apart, and not 

 more than a few inches above high- water level. The average 

 s ize of the eggs is 243"x 1-70". 



