196 ADDITIONS TO THE AVIFAUNA OF CEYLON, 



into the sea. This cliff, under which it is very difficult to pass, 

 forms a splendid shelter for the Shahin ; for he can perch and 

 roost on the shelves which jut out into the numerous crevices 

 in the face of the rock, without being disturbed by any one on 

 the island, who does not choose to scramble along the almost 

 inaccessible rocks at its foot. I visited the spot on the 6th instant 

 in search of pigeons, and, finding none, was clambering over the 

 rocks on an adjoining islet, separated only at high water from 

 the main portion, with the view of finding a suitable hole for a 

 bath, when I espied a splendid Falcon coming along over the 

 water and making for the cliff. I quickly turned back, 

 reached the cliff, and got out on to an enormous boulder, where I 

 enf laded the face of the cliff, having a good view of the whole 

 of it, but not a vestige of a Falcon was to be seen. I then 

 determined to get right underneath, and jumped across a chasm 

 to a lower boulder, from which I could see every spot almost 

 in the precipice, but no Falcon. I then shouted and out-shot 

 three splendid fellows ; bang went the 12-bore, and of course 

 missed, — I never did anything but miss first shot on such cri- 

 tical occasions, and always shall — and in an instant they were 

 all over the water, where it was folly to drop them ; back they 

 came, dashing at the rock, and not caring a pin for my shot, 

 when bang went the weapon and down came a fine fellow 

 between two large rocks, where I judged him to be safe, and 

 went in for several shots at impossible distances at the other two, 

 who wheeled and dashed round tue summit of the rock in such 

 a manner that I was sure they must be breeding. After a 

 while the third bird made off, the second disappearing suddenly 

 from the battle field. Thinking it was about time to pick up 

 my dead bird, I made my way across, and through the water, to 

 the spot where I had dropped him, when to my extreme grati- 

 fication I found that he had fallen into a sluice, out of which 

 the first receding wave must have carried him ! Not a sign of 

 my prize anywhere, high and low, I searched, and at last gave 

 up in despair, convinced that a monstrous blue rock fish had 

 long since polished him off, determined that Pigeon Island 

 Falcons should never fall into the hands of the ruthless soldiery! 

 Getting back was a matter of squeezing myself into the 

 thickness of a board, and so propelling myself up a huge cleft 

 for about 15 feet, but it was accomplished, and, arriving at our 

 camp under the trees on the beach, where my companion was 

 hungrily waiting breakfast, the first sight that greeted me was 

 a magnificent winged Shahin hanging by his knotted primaries 

 (Moorish boatmen haven't much idea of the value of a bird's 

 quills !) to the branch of a tree. My companion* had dropped 



* Major Sir Joliu Campbell, ll.A, 



