292 JOURNAL, r.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. VIII, 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES TAKEN IN THE 

 BOGAWANTALAWA DISTRICT DURING 

 SEPTEMBER, 1882. 



By Frederick Lewis, Esq. 



The S.W. monsoon of 1882 must be considered to have 

 been an abnormal one ; for both the quantity of rain and 

 humidity of temperature have by far exceeded those known 

 for many previous years. 



Under such peculiar atmospheric influences as these, the 

 month of September must be viewed with unusual interest 

 by the ornithologist, it being the period when the arrival 

 of migratory birds should first be looked for. With this 

 object in view, I purpose to give a short catalogue of such 

 birds as fell within my own observation and that of another 

 observer, — Mr. H. B. Roberts, of Eltofts estate, — whose 

 authority I consider unquestionable. 



I must preface my remarks by saying that I was stationed 

 for a month at the Devonford estate, the elevation of which 

 is over 5,000 feet above the sea, and situated at the extreme 

 east of the Bogawantalawa valley, or more properly that 

 portion of the district nearest the dividing range between 

 the Central and Western Provinces ; so that an influx of 

 migrants from the N.E. would pass through or over this 

 property, before spreading down the Bogawantalawa valley 

 proper. 



During my stay at the locality in question, I never had 

 the opportunity of a complete week of dry weather, and the 

 mornings were nearly always misty, cold, and damp — a 

 contingency which must receive due consideration as bearing 

 upon the limits of bird migration. 



In my list I have followed Captain Legge's classification 

 for the convenience of those possessing his valuable work, 

 and the nomenclature according to such authorities as are 

 well known and established. As regards systems, it is 



