No. 29. — 1884.] BALA$GODA ORNITHOLOGY. 271 



NOTES ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE 

 BALANGODA DISTRICT. 



o • 



By Frederick Lewis, Esq. 



My acquaintance with this District ranges from January, 

 1879, since which period I have taken more or less constant 

 ornithological observations, which I venture to condense 

 into the form of a Paper, showing the number of species 

 that have fallen within my observation, their range, 

 migration, and, where possible, their nidiflcation. 



In order to render this Paper as complete as ornitho- 

 logical science requires, — a want beyond the mere enumera- 

 tion of cases, — I have thought it best to describe the 

 locality, its general physical condition, rainfall, and climate. 



Outline of the District.— From an ornithological point of 

 view, the geographical boundaries of a district are by no 

 means satisfactory, as the winds and bends made by such 

 limits are of necessity bound to enclose forms that are 

 common to both sides of the geographical point of demar- 

 cation. 



It therefore becomes more suitable to adopt fixed lines, 

 which, though seemingly arbitrary, are very convenient and 

 clear. With this in view, I have drawn lines which enclose 

 as nearly as possible the district I purpose describing, 

 while, at the same time, fixing definite boundaries. Accord- 

 ing to the lines I have drawn, the district may be said to 

 be bounded on the north by the great chain of hills 

 dividing the Central from the Western Provinces, from 

 Miriyakotakanda to Nonpareil estate; on the east by a 

 line from the Nonpareil estate to the Bilihul-oya resthouse, 

 and in a southerly direction from the resthouse to the 

 Lankabarana estate ; on the south by a short line due 

 west from the Lankabarana estate to the 78th mile-stone 

 on the Colombo-Badulla-road, at a place called Palla- 

 kanda ; on the west by a line running north-west to a 



