456 THE LACCADIVES AND THE WEST COAST. 
the centre of the trough. But our usual ill-luck attended us, 
and when a little over 700 fathoms had run out smoothly, the line 
taut and well up and down, it parted. At 4 P.m., having 
remarked the line and gone over it again carefully, being then 
in about N. Lat. 9°38’40,” and E. Lat. 74°55’40,” we again 
sounded and got bottom at 1,290 fathoms. It was so far a 
thoroughly satisfactory cast, but we only got in again 400 
fathoms, and then the wretched line parted again. Not a 
single bird was seen either yesterday or to-day. 
February 25th.—En-route to Quillon—During the day two or 
three Phaetons, all of the ethereus type, looked us up, but no 
other birds were seen. 
When evening closed we were about 20 miles distant from 
Quillon, and then changed our course southwards towards 
Kolachul. 
February 26th.—Running down the coast very slowly, two 
Bo’suns looked us up about 8 a.m.; after this we kept closer in, 
and these were the last that we saw during the trip. 
Of the rest of our cruize little need be said. On the 27th 
we reached Kolachul. There were no sea birds about, except 
avery few Larus brunneicephalus. We had only a few hours 
on shore, and saw nothing but the commonest birds. Crows 
(C. impudicus), Kites (lM. affinis and H. indus), Palm Swifts 
(C. palmarum), the Common Coucal, with black interscapulary 
region (C. rufipennis), Wood Shrikes (7. ponticeriana), 
Bulbuls (P. pusillus), the Common Mainah (A. éristis), and the 
Pond Heron (A. Grayii). One bird only requires notice, the 
Malacocircus though nearest griseus is not typical, and I have 
no doubt would be separated by some as a distinct species. In 
its more rufous tail it approches Sommervillei, but it is not so 
large as this latter, and has the feebler bill and pale head of 
griseus, from which, however, it differs not only in the deep 
rufous tail, but also in the constant occurrence of ‘more or less 
bright ferruginous patches on the nape and back—patches, 
which not unfrequently form a demi-collar and sometimes 
cover the whole interscapulary region. The bills also seem 
to be slightly longer and more slender than in typical griseus. 
However, all the many races of Indian Malacocirci so run 
one into the other that I feel no inclination to propose any 
separate name for the South Travancore coast race, well 
marked and constant as its peculiarities seem to be. 
On the 28th we sailed for Tuticorin, but here our evil fortune 
stuck to us ; the wind was adverse, and for nine whole days and 
nights we tried vainly to get round Cape Comorin. Backwards 
and forwards from the Cape to near the coast of “Ceylon” we 
tucked and tacked; each day we thought we must have gained 
