1839] 



of the Peninsula of India. 



interesting information on various birds, and to give tlje correct na- 

 tive names of most of the species enumerated by him. » 



I must here say a few words in explanation of the limits of the dis- 

 tricts alluded to in the following catalogue as the " habitat" of the dif- 

 ferent birds. With reference then to physical features and the geo- 

 graphical distribution of the birds, I divide the Peninsula into four 

 great districts or divisions— 1st, The Northern Circars — 2d, The Carna- 

 tie— 3d, The Western Coast— 4th, The great central table-land. 



1st. The Northern Circars. — This district comprises a narrow tract of 

 land extending (between 16? and 20° N. lat.) from the sea coast on 

 the eastern side of the Peninsula to the eastern ghauts by which it is 

 separated from the great table-land. It is a tolerably level district, 

 with occasional spurs from the ghauts approaching the sea coast; 

 has little or no natural wood, except towards the ghauts, the sides of 

 which are in some places clad with thick jungle of bamboos and forest 

 trees, and, with the exception of large groves of palm trees, has but 

 little wood throughout it. This district is perhaps hardly separable 

 from the Carnatic by its physical features alone, but the difference 

 of latitude, causing a change in climate and a greater variation of tem- 

 perature, perhaps authorize its separation, which is partly confirmed by 

 the fact of one or two birds common in the one, being rare or not met 

 with in the other district. 



2d. Camatic. — Under this head is included the whole of the coun- 

 try lying south of the Northern Circars, along the coast as far as Cape 

 Comorin, and bounded on the west by the range of eastern ghauts, 

 except in the Coimbatoor district, where the eastern as well as wes- 

 tern range of ghauts is broken. It has but little natural wood, ex- 

 cept partially on the sides of the ghauts and occasionally at their bot- 

 tom; is a level and low lying country, with occasional isolated rocky 

 hills, and low ranges, sometimes bare, in other places clad with low- 

 brushwood. In the immediate neighbourhood of the large towns and 

 villages there are large topes, and many of the roads are lined with 

 magnificent avenues of banian and other large trees. 



3d. Western Coast— This includes Travancore, Cochin, and Mala- 

 bar, and comprises a strip of land of various width lying between the 

 sea on the western side of India, and the range of western ghauts which 

 it includes. It is mostly undulating or hilly, and, unlike the other 

 three districts, is almost every where covered with jungle of every de- 

 scription, from low bushes to the most lofty forest trees: most of the 

 ' roads here too are lined with splendid avenues of banian, cashew and 

 various other fine trees. The climate is moist and comparatively cool. 



