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JOURNAL, R. A. S. (CEYLON). [Vol. VIIL 



it is regarded frequently with a kind of horror. Its voice 

 is said to announce bad news. It is believed to be an 

 incarnation of the demon Huniyan-yakd, and to bring with 

 it misfortune to the healthy, and death to the sick. It is 

 not an unusual thing for the villager to pelt it with stones 

 away from the neighbourhood of his house and garden, and 

 it is the greatest misfortune if it should build its nest 

 within the precincts of the cottage. 



The Black Robin (Thamnobia fulicata), Sin. Kalu pol- 

 kichchd. The body of this bird is used as a charm in the 

 incarnation of Maha-Sohon-bandhana (the binding of Maha- 

 S6hona (the vampire demon), and of Kalu-kumdra-anduna 

 (the producing of desire). The preparation is as follows : 

 A king-cocoanut is taken and a hole made in it ; the water 

 is then emptied out, and the dead body of the little bird is 

 placed therein. It is then buried in the earth, where it 

 remains for three months, after which it is disinterred and 

 the putrid pulp and body of the bird are placed together in 

 a chatty and taken to the burial ground, where a fire is made, 

 and the oil extracted with the greatest care, lest the demon, 

 in order to avert the charm, should spill it. Very often, it 

 is said, that notwithstanding every precaution, the yakd 

 manages to overturn the vessel. In order that, if such is 

 the case, some portion of the oil may be recovered, leaves 

 are placed round the fire to catch the precious particles. 



The Indian Koel (Eudynamys honorata), Sin. KoM, 

 from its, note. This bird was called by the Mu poets 

 Paraputu (lit. c that which is nourished by others'), from 

 the habit it has in common with other cuckoos of laying its 

 eggs in the nests of other birds. Its loud, though not un- 

 musical, voice appears to have excited their admiration. The 

 Sinhalese say that although this bird is too lazy to build its 

 own nest and bring up its young, it wishes to have its progeny 

 when the trouble of rearing them is over, and they imagine 

 its peculiar cry to be " daruwd-ko? daruwd-ko?" "Where 

 is my child ? Where is my child ?" 



The King-Crow, or Drongo (Buchanga Leucopygialis), 

 Sin. (some districts) Kawudu-panikkiyd, "the crow's barber;" 

 (in others) Kaputu-bend, " the crow's nephew." This little 



