viii INTRODUCTION. 



Labours of former Writers. — In 1743 George Edwards, Library Keeper to the Royal College 

 of Physicians, published a work entitled 'A Natural History of Uncommon Birds,' and in it figured 

 several species inhabiting India and Ceylon, among which were " The Black Indian Cuckow " 

 (Eudynamys honorata), " The small Red-and-green Parrakeet " (Loriculus indicus), " The Black- 

 and-white Kingfisher "( Ceryle rudis), "The Indian Bee-eater" (Merops viridis), "The Black- 

 headed Indian Icterus " (Oriolus melanocephalus), "The Crested Red or Russet Butcher-bird'' 

 (Lanius cristatus), "The Pyed Bird of Paradise" (Terpsiplwne paradisi), "The Purple Indian 

 Creeper" (Cinnyris asiaticus), "The Cowry Grosbeak" (Munia punctulata), "The Short-tailed 

 Pye" (Pitta coronata), "The Minor" (Eulabes religiosa), and "The Emerald Dove" (Chalcop>hap> 

 indica). Of these it will be observed that but one species, the Lorikeet, is peculiar to the island. 



During the latter half of the eighteenth century Gideon Loten was nominated Governor of 

 Ceylon by the Dutch, and, happening to be a great lover of birds, collected and employed people 

 to procure specimens of species which attracted his notice ; and from his labours we first learn 

 something of the peculiar birds of the island. He had drawings prepared of many species, 

 which he lent to an English naturalist named Peter Brown, who published in London, in 1776, a 

 quarto work styled ' Illustrations of Zoology.' His descriptions of the birds he figured were 

 given in French and English, and related to the following species named by him thus: — "The 

 Brown Hawk" (Astur badius), "Great Ceylonese Eared Owl" (Ketupa ceylonensis), "Red-crowned 

 Barbet " (Xantholcema rubricapilla), " Yellow-cheeked Barbet " (Megalcema flavifrons), " Ceylon 

 Black-cap" (Iora typhia), "Spotted Curucui" (Cuculus maculatus), "Red-vented Warbler" 

 (Pycnonotus ha'morrhous), "Yellow-breasted Flycatcher" (Bubigula melanictera), "The Green 

 Wagtail " (Budytes viridis), " The Rail " (Ballina euryzonoides), " The Pompadour Pigeon " 

 (Osmotreron pompadora). The artist who delineated these species was Mr. Khuleelooddeen. 

 Some of the drawings are fairly accurate ; but others are grotesque and unnatural, showing the 

 poor state of perfection to which the illustration of books had up to that time been brought. 



We pass on now to a man of a different stamp, Johann Reinhold Forster, who gave Latin 

 names to several of the peculiar Ceylonese forms which now stand, having been published after 

 the Linnean period (1776). This author was likewise indebted to Governor Loten, of whom he 

 speaks in his Introduction that he found a great field for his tastes in the science of natural 

 history, and to assist him in his researches taught several slaves drawing. Forster 's work, entitled 

 " Indische Zoologie," was published at Halle, in Germany, in 1781, and is written in German and 

 Latin, purporting to be a " systematic description of rare and unknown Indian animals." The 

 following species are figured and described : — Circus melanoleucus, Strix bakkamitna, Troaoti 

 fasciatus, Cuculus pyrrhocephal us, Ballus phosnicurus, Tantalus leucocephalus, Anser melanonotus, 

 Anhinga (Plotus) melanogaster, Anas pcecilorhyncha, and Perdix bicalcarata. Through Loten's 

 instrumentality, therefore, 10 species were described by Forster, in addition to those which Brown 

 figured, and which were afterwards named by Linnaeus, Gmelin, and others. Prior to the advent 

 of Templeton and Layard he did more for Ceylon ornithology than any other naturalist. One or 

 two species were made known by Latham in his ' Synopsis,' such as the " Ceylonese Crested 



