BIRDS OF EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ASIA, 



hida, none. Family Alcadce, none. Family 

 Felecanidce, none. 



Order Gkallatoues. Family Qruidce, none. 

 Family Ardeidoe, the Genera Botaurus, Ardsea, 

 Ciconia. Family Sculopacidce, the Genera Gal- 

 linago aud Scolopax. Family RaUidce ; the 

 Genera Parra, Rallus, and Fulica (where pro- 

 tected in holy tanks). Family CJiaradriadce ; 

 the Genus Charadrius, (one small species of.) 



Class IV. embrace?, 



Order Natatorbs, none. 



Order Grallatoees. Family Gruidce, none. 

 Family Ardeidce ; the Genera Ardea, (small 

 species, or Baklas, only) and Nycticorax. Fa- 

 mily Scolopacidcs ; the Genera Totanus ? and 

 Gallinago ? Family RaUidce ; the Genus Ral- 

 lus. Family Charadridce the Genus Vanellus, 

 one species — the Tithir. 



The Grallatorial and Natatorial birds begin 

 to arrive in Nepal, from the North, towards 

 the close of August, and continue arriving till 

 the middle of September. The first to appear 

 are the common snipe, and jack snipe, and 

 Ehynchcea; next, the Scolopaceous waders 

 (except the wood-cock ;) next, the great birds 

 of the heron and stork, and crane families ; 

 then, the Natatores ; and lastly, the woodcocks, 

 which do not reach Nepaul till November- The 

 time of the re-appearance of these birds, from 

 the South is the beginning of March ; and 

 they go on arriving, till the middle of May. 

 The first which thus return to Nepaul are the, 

 snipes ; then come the teal and ducks ; then 

 the large Natatores; and lastly, the great cranes 

 and storks. The Grallatores which visit Ne- 

 paul, or pass over it, are much more numerous 

 than the Natatores. The wild swan was never 

 seen there but once, in the mid winter of 1828, 

 when the apparition suggested a new version 

 of the well known hexameter. — 



' Eara avis injterris, alboque simillima cygno.' 



None of the Natatores stay in Nepaul be- 

 yond a week or two, in autumn, (when the rice 

 fields tempt them) or beyond a few days, in 

 spring, except the teal, the widgeon, and the 

 coot, which remain for the whole season, upon 

 some few tanks whose sanctity precludes all 

 molestation of them. There are cormorants 

 throughout the season upon the larger rivers 

 within the mountains ; but none ever halt in 

 the valley, beyond a day or two : for so long, 

 however, both they and pelicans may be seen, 

 occasionally, on the banks just mentioned. 



The Larus and Sterna are birds which usual- 

 ly affect the high seas, — but Mr. Hodgson, 

 bad killed both the red-legged Gull, and a 

 genuine pelagic Tern, in the valley of Nepaul. 

 But so had he fishing Eagles ; and in truth, he 

 adds, who, shall limit the wanderings of these 

 long-winge^ birds in the etherial expanse ? 



Larks are often domesticated in S. E. Asia. 

 In China it is the Acridotheres cristellatua 

 the Shantnng lark. It has great facility in 

 learning sounf's and will bark, mew, crow, 

 cough and sneeze, sometimes talk, and a single 

 bird will fttch £6. The Acridotheres will imi- 

 tate the human voice aceniattly. In China, a 

 starling is often domesticated : it is lively good 

 natured and easily tamed. They also tame the 

 fork-tailed Parus (Leiothrix luteus of Scopoli). 

 It is in form and habit like the robin of Britain, 

 is pretty, olive green, black forked-tail, with 

 wing piimaries, bright yellow and red. It turns 

 summersaults on its perch. They have a short 

 loud song. Canaries are sold in many shops of 

 Japan. The grackle, Gracula religiosa called the 

 Mina is largely domesticated. The partridge, 

 the bulbul shrike are also largely domesticated. 

 The Hoopoe is to be seen occasionally. 



The names, synonyms and localities of mos^ 

 of the Birds of Eastern and Southern Asia, are 

 given in Mr. Blyth's catalogue, and are as fol- 

 lows : — 



Class AVES, Order I. SCANSOEES. Fam. 

 PSITTACIDJ]. Subfam. CACATUINJ]. 

 (Cockatoos). 



Genus CALYPTORHYNCHUS, Vigors and 

 Horsfield. 



C. galeatum (Gould's JB. A., Vol. V. pi. 14.) 



Syn. Psittacu s galeatiis, Latham. 



Callocephalon australe, Lesson. 



Inhabits S. Australia ; Islands ia Bass's 

 Straits ; V. D. Land. 



Genus CACATUA, Brisson. 



C. moluccensis (Lear's Fsittacidce, pi. 2.) 



Syn. Psittasus moluccensis. Gmelin. 

 Ps. rosiceus, Latham. 

 Caciitua rubroenstata, Brissoa. 

 C. erythroloplius, Lesson. 



Inhabits the Moluccas. 



C. cridata (Daubenton's PI. Enl 263.) 



SxN. Psittaens cristatus, L. 



Cacatua leueolophos. Lesson, 



Inhabits the Philippines. 



C. galerita (Lear's Psittacidoe, pi. 3 ; Gould's 

 JB. A. Vol. V, pi. 1.) 



Syn. Psittacus saleritus Latham. 

 Cacatua chrysolophus, Lesson. 



Inhabits (with local variation) N. Guinea, 

 Australia, and V. D. Land. 



C. sulplmrea (Lear's Fsittacida', pi. 4). 



Syn. Psittacus sulphureus, Gmelin. 

 Cacatua luteocristata, Brisson. 



Inhabits Timor, &c. 



Subfam. PSITTACIN^ (Parrots). 



18 



