56 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF INDIA. 



beaten half decayed trunks (and I fear they were only too 

 correct in their estimate) which strewed the beach. After a full 

 minute's survey two ov three separated from the group, but 

 then immediately returned. Then they all ran about in 

 amongst each other, much as if they were dancing in a 16 set, 

 the last figure of the Lancers, and then presto ! off they were (I 

 suppose they had scented my cigar) but not quite quick enough 

 to save all hands, three dropping to my shot a dozen yards or 

 so out in the sea. It was very shallow, and I waded out and 

 picked them up ; while doing this, I heard several shots fired 

 lower down the coast, and just as I regained the shore a White- 

 collared Kingfisher (H. Moris) chuckling noisily made his ap- 

 pearance going westwards apparently in a tremendous hurry ; 

 I had just time to ask him to stop, which he very kindly did, 

 and I feel sure we have neither of us subsequently regretted 

 this fortunate meeting. 



Then I pushed into the mangroves, which soon grew open 

 enough below, as they grew higher and higher, and became 

 mixed with other and very differently foliaged species to those 

 that fringe the shore. Some were conspicuous for a general glau- 

 cous tinge (Sonneratia, sp.) recalling the blue gum of Australia, 

 now so throughly established on the Nilghiris, while others 

 exhibited shining leaves, almost black in the dark intensity of 

 their green. Huge broad leaved liliaceous plants (Crinum) quite 

 palm-iike in their appearance, cycas, screw pines (Pandanus) 

 many thorned, flexile canes, hanging in graceful garlands of 

 glossy multifid fronds, dwarf date palms, feather-leaved bam- 

 boos bending in fern-like curves and many other strange and 

 beautiful tropical forms, scattered here and there, recalled the 

 pictures we have all tried to conjure up for ourselves of the 

 teeming flora of the carboniferous era. Inside of the mangrove 

 belts I saw many of the glossy Tree-stare, (G. Tytleri) usually 

 in parties of at least a dozen, and of the Andamanese Oriole 

 (0. andamanensis,) singly or in pairs, flashing like golden beams 

 through the green coolness of the forest. Blyth's beautiful 

 Hurriul (0. chloroptera) was uttering its peculiar whistled 

 coo, invisible in the tops of the highest trees, only obtainable 

 by a rapid shot as high over head they crossed, like wind- 

 driven leaves, some little bare patch of blue sky. It was like 

 shooting from the bottom of a deep well, and it would be dis- 

 ingenuous to pretend that the results Avere satisfactory. I got 

 one bird out of ten shots. Just as I secured the prize, my com- 

 panion made his appearance with half a dozen, and as he had 

 only fired about twenty shots wanted rather to crow over me, 



