241 
CHAP. VIII. 
BIRDS. 
Of the Birds of the island, upwards of three hundred 
and twenty species have been indicated, for which we 
are indebted to the persevering labours of Dr. Temple- 
ton, Dr. Kelaart, and Mr. Layard ; but many yet 
remain to be identified. In fact, to the eye of a 
stranger, their prodigious numbers, and especially the 
myriads of waterfowl which, notwithstanding the pre- 
sence of the crocodiles, people the lakes and marshes in 
the eastern provinces, form one of the marvels of Ceylon. 
In the glory of their plumage, the birds of the inte- 
rior are surpassed by those of South America and 
Northern India; and the melody of their song bears 
no comparison with that of the warblers of Europe, but 
the want of brilliancy is compensated by their singular 
grace of form, and the absence of prolonged and modu- 
lated harmony by the rich and melodious tones of their 
clear and musical calls. In the elevations of the Kan- 
dyan country there are a few, such as the robin of 
Neuera-ellia 1 and the long-tailed thrush 2 , whose song 
rivals that of their European namesakes ; but, far be- 
yond the attraction of their notes, the traveller rejoices 
in the flute-like voices of the Oriole, the Dayal-bird 3 , 
1 Pratincola atrata, Kelaart. " Magpie Kobin." This is not to be 
2 Kittacincla macrura, Qm. confounded with the other popular 
3 Copsychussaidaris,I/mw. Call- favourite the "Indian Kobin" 
ed by the Europeans in Ceylon the (Thamnobia, fulicata, Linn.}, which 
R 
