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JOURNAL, E. A. S. (CEYLON), [Vol. VIII. 



by causing the collapse of the instrument ; and the shell, 

 reduced to powder, placed on a betel leaf and mixed with some 

 other ingredients, is said to be a love philtre. 



The Paradise Fly-catcher (Terpsiphore Paradisi), Sin, 

 Gini-hord, "the fire thief"; Kapu or Eedi-kord, "the cotton 

 thief." The male of this bird, probably about the middle of 

 the second year, changes its colour from red to white, and 

 frequently the tail feathers elongate, sometimes before and 

 sometimes after this change. There is a Sinhalese legend 

 that these birds are transmigrated representatives of human 

 beings, who were dishonest, and the red or white of the bird 

 bears some resemblance to the colour of the articles which 

 were stolen. The names have however no doubt been 

 given because of the appearance which the bird has of 

 carrying away a piece of cotton or a small fire brand when 

 flying through the air. 



The Spotted Dove (Turtur Suratensis), Sin. Kobeyiyd. 

 The mournful note of this dove has attracted attention, and 

 is accounted for by the following story, A woman put some 

 kebella berries in the sun to dry, and as she had to go and 

 gather firewood she told her little boy to be sure to watch 

 them carefully. As they got dry, they stuck to the ground 

 and could scarcely be seen. On returning she could not see 

 the berries, and thinking that he had eaten them, she struck 

 her child such a blow that it killed him. Immediately after- 

 wards she saw that the berries were still where she had left 

 them. In her remorse she killed herself and was turned 

 into a dove. She now goes through the world mourning for 

 her child, and crying " pubbaru pute pu pu" "Oh! (my) 

 young son! " 



The Common Babbler (Malacoercus striatus), Sin. Dema- 

 lichchdy " Tamil bird." The name Demalichchd or Tamil bird 

 was probably given to it from the fancied resemblance of a 

 group of these babblers to a crowd of noisy Tamils. 



The Parrot or Paroquet (Palseornis eupatrius, P. 

 torquatus, and P. calthropee), Sin. Labu, Rena, and Alu 

 Girawd. In two of his 550 births Buddha is said to have 

 been born as a parrot. The Sinhalese attribute the powe? 



