1196 

 A LIST OF BIRDS FROM ARAKAN. 



BY 



Cyril Hopwood, i.f.s. 



Before attempting to deal with, the birds met with during my 

 two years' stay in Arakan, perhaps I may be permitted to give a 

 brief description of the district itself, as I feel that this may prove 

 of interest to those unacquainted with this corner of the Indian 

 Empire, and help to explain the presence or absence of certain 

 birds. 



Arakan may be divided roughljr into three belts, (i) The sea 

 coast, (ii) the foot hills and (iii) the main hill ranges. With 

 regard to (i) a considerable portion of the coast line is fringed 

 with mangrove swamp, in which kingfishers, storks, herons and a 

 few raptorial and passerine birds are found ; but there are, in 

 places, considerable areas of sandy beach, backed by open grassy 

 downs, which are a favourite haunt of the small waders, and 

 especially of the Eastern Golden Plover, which is found here in 

 thousands. Between the sea coast and the foot hills lies the paddy 

 land, which is of very considerable extent ; this tract is of more 

 interest to the sportsman than to the ornithologist, as there are 

 few birds to be seen (other than the very commonest), except 

 snipe and duck, though the latter are not too numerous, on 

 account of the scarcity of suitable jheels. 



Passing over (ii) for the moment, it may be stated roughly that 

 practically the whole of (iii) is dense bamboo jungle, almost 

 treeless, and consequently unsuitable for a great variety of bird 

 life. The exception is the Kyaukpaudaung range, which reaches 

 an elevation of about 4,000 feet. This range, which I was lucky 

 enough to visit for a few days in May 1909, is a veritable ornitho- 

 logist's paradise, and my only regret was that my time there was 

 so limited. At a height of about 3,000 feet the bamboo gives 

 place to very fine evergreen jungle, and at the top of the range 

 there are numerous open grassy glades. As the birds met with 

 here will be dealt with in their proper order, it is unnecessary to 

 remark upon them at this point. 



