IK SOTJTHEBN IKDIA. 95 



the village derives its name ; but why Vaden was added to it is 

 not known. It is possible that, from its being the resort of 

 numbers of birds, the people connected it with the term vaden, 

 or "hunter," a name given to a rude class of people in Southern 

 India who are known as hunters and birdcatchers, but who have 

 never been found residing here. The Yaden Thaugul tank is 

 situated JS'.N.W. of the Carangooly Fort, and is 3| miles distant 

 in a direct line from the Great Southern Trunk road. 



The bund, whose greatest height is 12 feet, commences from a 

 piece of high ground near the village, runs for a distance of about 

 600 yards in a south-easterly direction, then takes a sharp turn 

 almost at a right angle, and terminates in high ground about 

 200 yards further. The water-spread is limited on the north- 

 east by slightly rising ground overgrown with low jungle, and on 

 the east-south-east by high gravelly and rocky ground. The area 

 comprised in the tank is about four acres and a half (thirty 

 cavmies *). 



From the north-east to the centre of the bed of the tank there 

 are some 500 or 600 trees of the Barringtonia racemosa, from 

 about 10 to 15 feet in height, with circular, regular, moderate- 

 sized crowns ; and when the tank fills, which it does during the 

 monsoons, the tops only of the trees are just visible above the 

 level of the water. 



This place forms the breeding-resort of an immense number of 

 water-fowl ; Herons, Storks, Cranes, Ibises, Water-crows or Cor- 

 morants, Darters and Paddy-birds, &c., make it their rendezvous 

 on these occasions. 



From about the middle of October to the middle of November 

 small flocks of twenty or thirty of some of these birds are to be 

 seen, coming from the north to settle here during the breeding- 

 season. By the beginning of December they have all settled 

 down ; each tribe knows its appointed time, and arrives year after 

 year with the utmost regularity within a fortnight, later or earlier, 

 depending partly on the seasons. Some, from the lateness at 

 which they arrive, appear to have come from great distances. 

 They commence immediately by building their nests or repairing 

 the old ones, preparatory to depositing their eggs. "When they 

 have fully settled down, the scene becomes one of great interest 

 and animation. 



During the day the majority are out feeding, and towards 

 evening the various birds begin to arrive in parties of ten, fifteen, 

 * A cawnie is 6400 square yards. 



8* 



