THE LACCADIVES AND THE WEST COAST. 415. 
At Elephanta, Trombay, Oorun, and other islands in the 
harbour, the commonest species appeared to be the Crow-pheasant 
(Centrococcyx rufipennis), the Grey Drongo (B. longicaudatus*), 
the White-browed Bush Bulbul (Zzos luteolus), the Dial bird or 
Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), the Southern Red-whiskered 
Bulbul (0. fuscicaudata), the Amethyst-rumped and Common 
Purple Honey Suckers (L. zeylonica and A. asiatica), the common 
Indian Bee-Eater (J/. viridist), the Rosy Pastor (P. roseus), the 
Black-headed Oriole (O. melanocephalus), and the White-spotted 
Fan-tail (L. pectoralist). 
On the island of Elephanta itself we disturbed a large colony 
of the Night Heron (JV. griseus$) and shot a few specimens. 
February 2nd.—This, the day of our start, was a grand gala 
day for Bombay. The annual regatta was being held and it 
would have been impossible to see the harbour to greater advan- 
tage. 
Close abreast of where we were moored was the old stone 
battlemented castle, occupying with Bombay itself (which 
stretches away far north and south of it), the western shore 
of the harbour. Salsette hill, some 1,000 feet in height, 
bounds it to the North. The hills of Elephanta (glorious in its 
stupendous cave temple) and of Carija, wall it in eastwards, 
while to the 8. E. and S., the Quoin and other hills completely. 
close in the view. Embosomed in blue and purple hills fringed 
everywhere about their bases with bright green lines of man- 
* Two females that I shot of this species, both exceedingly fine and typical speci- 
mens of the race that occurs in this neighbourhood, measured :— 
Length, 11:8, 115; expanse, 16; tail from vent, 6:35, 62; wing, 5°35, 54; 
tarsus, 0°7, 0°65; bill from gape, 1:1, 1°05; weight, 1:33 0z., 1-5oz. 
The bill, legs, and feet, were black ; the irides, crimson. 
+ These are of the western type with comparatively little red or golden about the head 
and neck. A pair measured :— 
Male.—Length, 9:8; to end of ordinary tail feathers only, 7°7; expanse, 12; tail 
from vent, 5°1; to end of ordinary tail feathers only, 3; wing, 3'7; tarsus, 0°33; bill 
from gape, 1:55. Bill, black; irides, crimson; legs and feet, deep brown; edges of 
scutz and soles, hoary. 
Female.—Length, 9:25; to end of ordinary tail feathers only, 75; expanse, 11°5 ; 
tail from vent, 4°75; to end of ordinary tail feathers only, 2°9, wing, 36; tarsus, 
0-4; billfrom gape, 1:45. 
{ A pair of this species measured :— 
Male.—Length, 7°56; expanse, 9'0; tail from vent, 3°9; wing, 3; tarsus, 08; bill 
from gape, 0°6. 
Female.—Length, 7; expanse, 8°4; tail from vent, 3°3; wing, 2°8; tarsus, 0°75 ; bill 
from gape, 0°53, 
The bill, legs and feet were black; the inside of mouth fleshy white. 
§ A fine male of this species measured.—Length, 245 ; expanse, 39°5; tail from 
vent, 43; wing, 10-9; tarsus, 3; bill from gape, 4:25; weight, 1-dlbs. It was killed on 
the 29th of January. The colors of the soft parts were then as follows:—Toes, pale 
yellow; legs and feet, pale greenish yellow; orbital space, lores, gape and base of 
lower mandible, pale hoary yellowish green ; upper mandible (except a stripe parallel 
to commissure which is greenish horny) deep brown; medial portion of lower mandible, 
except the commissure, pale greenish horny; terminal portion and commissure, dark 
brown; extreme tip, whitish; irides, crimson. 
EO 
