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others again, such as vegetables, fruits, fishes, etc., which it 
is desirable to purchase direct. If taken from the contractors, 
the choice is left with him whose interest it is to supply 
one of the many scheduled articles that v/ill cost him the 
least. Direct purchase has the advantage of meeting urgent 
necessities, securing fresh stuff, and of selecting the desired 
articles, which can only be decided on by an inspection and 
enquiry in the market. The commission money paid last 
year approximated to 1,800 rupees, or 150 rupees a 
month.” 
I visited the Rangoon garden on May 5, 6, and 7, 1913, 
and am much indebted to Dr. A. Blake, to Mr. S. A. 
Christopher, to Mr. W. Shircore, Honorary Secretary, 
and to Dr. R. M. Sen, Superintendent, for giving me all the 
information I required. 
The wild fauna of this beautiful garden add to its attrac- 
tions ; most noticeable were the brown squirrels, probably 
Sciitrus ferrugineus , the Magpie Robins, Copsychus saularis, 
the Burmese Crows, Corvus insolens,ihQ Myna Birds, Acri- 
dotheres trlstis and Sturnopastor superciliaris, the Black- 
headed Chestnut Finches, Munia africapilla, the pretty 
Brown-headed Sparrows, Passer montanus, the White- 
breasted W^ater-hens, Amaurornis phoenicurus, the Little 
Cormorants, Phalacrocorax javanicus^^ the Eastern Cattle 
Egrets, Buhulcus coromandus, the little Chestnut Bitterns, 
Ardetta cinnamonea^ and the very brilliantly coloured 
Lizards, probably Calotes versicolor^ and, as in most gar- 
dens in India, the voices of the Crimson-breasted Barbet or 
Coppersmith, Xantholaema haematocephala^ and of the 
Roel, Emiynami’^ hororata^ could be very frequently heard. 
* These cormorants are a great feature of Rangoon. I saw many flying over 
the main streets, and in the evening, about sunset, flocks of many hundred cormo- 
rants flew low along the river front, associated with the cormorants being some scores 
of eastern cattle egrets. 
