FAUNA AND FLORA, RATBVRJ, PETCHABURL 31 



To the west of Nakoii Chum station and the river are several 

 >big perennial swamps — probabI_y an old course of the river— and 

 in these are found many species of waterfo^vl, notably the Purple 



^Moorhen { Porphyrio lyoliocephalus,) ea.'iily vvcoguiriedhy the hard red 

 shield on the forehead. The Wliistling Teal I Dendrocifcna javanica) -h 

 and the Cotton Teal ( Nettopus coromandel'ianus ) are found from -4- 

 January to July and are probabl)' permanent residents, and I obtained 

 the Garganey Teal ( Q^erqueclula circia) in IVbruary. The Bronze- "^ 

 winged Jacana and the Pheasant-tailed Jacana ( Metopidius indicus and -^ 



'f' Hi/dropJiasianus cMrurgus) also occur — the latter 1 found in flocks 

 during February and March. Both are known to the Siamese as 



"NokPrik" (^jfiwn). 



In June I saw a brown Pelican, and since Blanford states that 

 the Eastern White Pelican is only a winter visitor, this bird could 

 only have been the Spotted-bil4ed Pelican (Pehcanus ptliiUppensis). 

 They are said to be common in Ratburi during the rains. 



Flocks of the Large Coimoran I {Phalacrocorax carlio ) ajipeared n 

 in February .; the smaller species I have only observed in the higher 

 and more secluded reaches of the Petchaburi river. _ 



Of the Heron tribe, the Pond ileron and Cattle Egret {Ardxola -f" 

 (jrayi ancP Bv]2ul(iu& -cazomMtdus ) are found everywhere — the latter 

 chiefly 'in the open plains, but the I'ond HeroTi even in the more 

 densely wooded districts. 



The Common Heron { Ardea cinerea ) appears to be confined j^ 

 to the brackish swamps and may usually be seen frum the train, north 

 of Petchaburi. 



Of the Golumhae, the ^lala}' Spotted Dove ( Turtur tigrmus ) is — 4- 

 widely distributed, occurring in all classes of country except the dense 

 evergreen forests. Practically ever}" clump of bamboos contains a pair. 

 The Red Turtle-Dove ( Oenopopelia tranquebarica ) occurs in large -h 

 flocks and is also very common. 



Among the Accipitrine birds two species of Vulture occur — the 

 '^ Black Vulture [Otoyyps calvus), with red head, and the Indian White- 

 -^ backed Vulture (Pseudogyps hengalensis). The furmer is known as 



UT-3 I'^l VNJ^!JT by the Siamese, who say that the connuon grey bird 

 is the servant of the black one. 'I he Kites are those seen around 

 Bangkok, viz., the Uouimou Paiiah Kite { Milvas gotunda) and the •/" 



