B02 A FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS 
geographical feature of the southern extremity of the 
Peninsula. 
“The greater number of the specimens, however, were col- 
lected within a few miles of the Ponmudi (Golden crown) 
Peak, a hill of merely local importance and no great height, 
some twenty miles due east of Trevandrum, the capital of 
Travancore. 
“‘Of these hills, which rise rather abruptly from the level of 
the plains or coast line, the average altitude is 4,000 feet, a 
few peaks reaching 5,000 feet, and only one being credited 
with an elevation of 6,000 feet above sea level. 
“‘ Their chief physical feature is a dense growth of evergreen 
forest, containing much valuable timber, the greater part of 
which, owing to the want of proper communication with the 
coast, remains any thing but a source of revenue to the Go- 
vernment. The dull monotony of this expanse of forest is 
broken occasionally by bold and precipitous cliffs, while the 
more exposed ridges and outlying spurs are clothed with 
a short rank grass. This grass, in a more forcing climate at the 
foot of the hills, attains great luxuriance, and with a sparse 
sprinkling of trees, covers almost the whole of the country 
from the base of the hills to the limit of- cultivation along 
the coast line. 
“The annual rainfall is abundant averaging in different parts 
from 150 to 180 inches, but, owing to the steep slope of the 
hills, there are no large natural reservoirs, and as a natural 
consequence, the representatives of the wading and swimming 
birds are few and scarce. The climate of the hills much re- 
sembles that of the central province of Ceylon, with this differ- 
ence that in Travancore there is nowhere the same variation 
as may be observed between the climates of the highest and 
of the lowest parts of the Ceylon mountain range. 
“On the Travancore hills at an elevation of 2,500 feet the 
average temperature may be stated at 75° F. 
“The seasons may roughly be divided into two monsoons, 
viz. that in which the prevalent winds are from the 8. and 
S. W., extending from April to September, and that lasting 
over the other six months of the year, when winds from the 
EK. and N. E. more generally obtain. Of these two seasons, 
on the western slope of the hills the south-west monsoon is 
characterised by a more copious rainfall (in June and July 
often as much as 40 and 25 inches), and by a more equable 
temperature, with occasional severe gusts of wind. The north- 
east monsoon is usually ushered in by short but violent down- 
pours of rain, accompanied by storms of thunder and light- 
ning in October. The amount of rain decreases each month 
