FROM NORTH-WEST CEYLON. 491 



which the birds came, and, if possible, to obtain a specimen, 

 but the never-to-be-adequately-anathematised fishermen had 

 been round, and had cleared away everything. The birds, too, 

 had gone. 



In addition I identified on the wing, S. anaetheta and S. 

 media — a large flock of the former, and a few birds of the 

 latter species. Most probably both species nest on the banks, 

 but those I saw were not breeding. 



The destruction caused at these banks by the fishermen — 

 savages would be a more appropriate term — is abominable. They 

 had not only satisfied their own gluttonous cravings by devour- 

 ing nearly all the fresh eggs on the banks, but had then pro- 

 ceeded to gratify their destructive instincts by breaking, through 

 mere wantonness, all those containing young birds. Large 

 heaps of egg-shells and crab-shells were found by my overseer 

 at their camping-grounds, some, he states, more than 20 feet 

 long, and the banks were littered with the fragments of many 

 thousands of eggs, — the shells all discoloured by fire. That 

 such a reckless extermination of these graceful and charming 

 birds should be thus permitted is not creditable to those who 

 have the power to stop it. According to my information, the 

 destruction is almost altogether due to the men from Pamban 

 and Ramesvaram. 



($to girds nf tk IWutflttr Cidl llfrfsim 



By Geo. Reid. 



In accordance with the practice usually followed by 

 contributors to " Stray Feathers," I propose to preface ray 

 observations on the birds enumerated in the following list 

 with a brief description of the physical features and general 

 characteristics of their temporary or permanent home — the 

 Lucknow Civil Division. 



The accompanying map* shows the division, its boundaries, 

 rivers, roads and rail-roads, and the districts into which it is 

 divided. The patches colored red indicate the areas visited 

 in the course of my collecting rambles. 



Lucknow itself is so well known that I might rely on its 

 historical associations to recall to most minds the whereabouts 

 of the Division. Nevertheless, it may be as well to state that 

 it is situated between 26° 6' and 27 y 19' North Latitude, and 

 between 80° 6' and 81 9 80' East Longitude, and averages 

 throughout little more than 400 feet above sea-level. The 



* Will appear in the next number with the rest of the paper. 



