xx INTRODUCTION. 



salt lagoons and leways are the resort of Waders, Terns, Herons, Flamingoes, and Water-birds, all 

 of which are characteristic of the north-west of the island. The north-eastern part of the sub- 

 division in question is called the Park country, the borders only of which, I much regret to 

 say, are known to me. This tract consists of open glades and small plains covered with long 

 grass and surrounded by heavy jungle, in which there are numbers of birds, the prevalence of 

 Woodpeckers being noticeable. As regards the open country, it is not unlikely that some new 

 Timaline species may be found in it. 



Lastly, with regard to the great families of Scolopacidae and Charadriidse, which form such 

 a large proportion of the Ceylonese omis, and which migrate to the island in vast numbers at 

 the commencement (October and November) of the cool season, as will be seen on a perusal of 

 this work, their great haunts are the lagoons, tidal flats, marshes, and tanks near the coast along 

 the northern shores of both sides of the island. On the west coast these cease to the southward 

 of Negombo, and the sea-board is only intersected with deep mangrove-lined lagoons and lakes, 

 which are quite destitute of " W r ader "-life, save that of one or two species, as the ubiquitous 

 Trinqoides hypoleucos and the very abundant Tot anus glareola. The entire east coast, however, is 

 more or less inhabited by Sandpipers, Stints, Shore-Plovers, and other members of these families. 

 From the Virgel down to Batticaloa the sea-board is not so favourably suited to their habits as 

 further south, where they again become very abundant, and occupy the coast-line, with its numerous 

 estuaries, leways, and lagoons, down to Hatagala. Nowhere, however, do these interesting birds 

 muster in such force as from the Jaffna peninsula, with its inland salt lagoon and large salt lake, 

 down the west coast to the immense tidal flats at the embouchure of the Manaar channel. The 

 entire coast of this region is shallow, the tide receding some distance, and leaving exposed an 

 oozy shore, covered in places with green weed. On these flats myriads of small Waders congregate, 

 and species (such as the Turnstone and that anomalous bird the Crab-Plover) which are not 

 plentiful on the east coast are here found in abundance. In this district are of course included 

 the islands of Palk's Straits, on which these birds are likewise equally abundant. 



Monsoons and Seasons. — There are, roughly speaking, two seasons in Ceylon, which are 

 ushered in by the advent of two monsoons, the south-west and north-east. The former com- 

 mences to blow in April, after the termination of the hottest time of the year, the sultry weather 

 of March. For about a fortnight violent squalls, accompanied by downpours of rain, drive in 

 from the sea on the west coast ; and along the western slopes of the mountain-ranges, where the 

 moisture resulting from this wind collects, the rain is just as heavy and more continuous. This 

 weather, which is called the " little monsoon," is, though unpleasant, preferable to that which 

 preceded, when there was an absence of wind and the nights were very sultry. It is the signal for 

 the commencement of the spring migration. Insessorial birds (Warblers <Src.) immediately move 

 northwards, and the Waders, which throng the salt lagoons and estuaries on the northern and 

 eastern coasts, commence their long flight towards northern regions. After the cessation of the 

 little monsoon there is a lull, when the weather is again unpleasantly hot and " steamy," until 



