No. 26.— 1883.] SINHALESE BIED-LOBE. 



5 



of parrots to speak to the honour conferred by Buddha on 

 the family. A common saying is : — 



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 Balald fiev gewdma girawdge daka-ata bdsema ircarayi. 

 "When the cat mews all the parrot's eighteen languages 

 come to an end." 



Again : — 



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Ratranin rankuduwa tenuwat giraw laginne wandntarL 



"Though the cage is made of gold the parrot will (prefer 

 to) roost in the forest." 



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Girawd wage gune nehe. 



"As ungrateful as a parrot." (Alluding to the fact that, 

 no matter how kind one has been to it, it will fly away 

 at the first opportunity.) 



Mu girawd wageya. 



" This fellow is like a parrot." (Meaning either that he 

 is a chatterer or that he is merely an imitator,) 



The Ked-wattled Lap-wing (Lobivanellus Indicus), Sin. 

 Kirald* This bird is the type of watchfulness and faithful- 

 ness to its offspring. At all hours of the day and night 

 when its nest is approached it rises with its shrill cry. In 

 some districts there is a superstition that the eggs of this 

 bird, eaten raw, will drive away sleep and induce watchful- 

 ness. There is a belief among the Sinhalese that this bird 

 lies on its back on its nest with its legs upwards for fear the 

 sky should fall and crush its eggs. The same belief is 

 mentioned by Jerdon as being current in Southern India. 



In the Mahawaga of the Vinaya-pitaka and in the 

 Giki'winiya or Singdlowddi Suttraya we find the following 

 Stanza : — 



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