June r, 1892.] 
Sut>plement to tho “ Tropical AgriculUmst. 
9 SI 
Creepers, Drongos or King Crows, loras, Green 
Bulbuls, Ground Babblers, Solitary Bubblers, Bab- 
bling Thruslies, Crowtits. The following are the 
birds of mixed diet, partly insectivorous and 
partly fruit and grain-eaters: Tits, Sibius, White 
Kyes, Bulbuls, Nuthatches, Orioles, Starlings, 
Jlynas, Thrushes, Finches, Larks, Sunbirds, 
Flowerjjickers, Pheasants, Partridges, Button 
Quails, Bails, Cranes, Bastards, Waders. The 
next list comprises birds which live in or near 
W'ater, their food consisting of flsh, frogs and 
tadpoles, a((uatic hirvm of insects, and small 
animals such us freshwater Crustaceans, 
Ouzels, Kingflshers, Cormorants, Pelicans, Herons, 
Egrets, Ibis, Ducks, Gulls and Terns. The 
carnivorous birds are. Owls, VuUtires and Hawks; 
Omnivorous: — Crows and Storks; Frugivorous: — 
Hill Mynahs, Weaver birds, Hornbills, Barbets, 
Parrots, Pigeons, Sandgrouse. 
Very few of the jmrely insectivorous birds 
are said to be among tliose destroyed for plumage 
or food. It has been observed that in Upper 
India most small birds breed between April and 
July, and the four months April, May, Juno, 
July practically cover the breeding time of 
nearly all the birds which require, protection. 
The breeding time of course varies in different 
climes. If the Director of tlie Museum woidd 
draw up a list of Ceylon birds similar to the 
above, and note the close seasons of birds, say 
in the various Provinces, it would greatly aid 
the Agents of the.se Provinces in i)utting into 
effect what is iiructicnlly a dead law for the 
protection of birds in Ceylon. 
For human beings the minimum air space 
consistent with health is -lOO cubic feet; horses 
it is said re(|uire double the area, but no less than 
1,2(X) cubic feet have been advised. In England 
the cubic space of cattle byres varies from .‘WO to 
800 cubic feet. In London 000 cubic feet are 
required. Dr. Rmssell, the well-known Sanitarian 
of Glasgow, has lately been enquiring into this 
matter, as regards cattle, and after collecting 
a deal of information on the subject, and 
discovering probably that the regulations con- 
cerning the cubic contents of cattle byres had 
been framed with imperfect knowledge of the 
subject, in view of amending the tegHlations 
referring to Glasgow, recommends:-!. “That 
the registration, regulation, and control of 
byres should be placed in the hands of the 
SMitary authorities. 2. That in all «'sting 
bvres tlie cubic Hpace sliouUl bo raised to 6(K) 
cubic feet. That in all new byres it should be 
800 cubic feet, and that the regulations 
generally, as to lighting, ventilation, cleaning, 
drainage, and water supply, should be. carefully 
revised, so ns to give full effect to the mind 
of the sanitary authority, and thereby enable 
them to discharge themselves of the responsibi- 
lity imposed upon them by the Legislature.” 
If some such system for the inspection and 
regulation of cattle pens in Ceylon he adopted, 
it will go a great way towards preventing out- 
breaks of disease and arresting their iirogress ; 
for want of proper ventilation is the chief 
cause of lowered vitality, of colds and most 
diseases of the air passages, and of other 
descriptions of sickness. 
KITUL PALM. 
TUB MOTIF, OP P,XTEACTING TODnV. 
The processes adopted for the extraction of 
toddy are to begin with tedious, and a man 
should go through a complete course of training 
before he undertakes to practice the art. 
When the flower is on the verge of burst- 
ing, wdiich often happens before maturity, 
preparations are made by the toddy drawers 
to tap the palm. Having tied on a bamboo 
to the tree, he climbs up with a table 
knife and a chisel, and commences work by 
removing the sheaths (hannasus). An oblong- 
shaped cavity is then cut about a span from tlie 
a.xil of the inlloresconce, and “ a medicine ” com- 
pounded of various ingredients is deposited in 
this cavity. Salt, pepper, ginger, white onion, 
the roots of ratimtul {Fluinhayo ro»ea) and the 
bark of the murunga (Morinya pteryyospennn) 
are taken in certain quantities and pounded well 
in a mortar, first applying a sprinkling of leeina 
or caffer lime juice. After dejiositing tlie “ medi- 
cine” a thick coating of ashes is placed over the 
mouth of the cavity, and a piece of gunny bag 
is wrappeil round it in several folds and tii'd 
with a rope. The tloiver is then washed with 
the juice of cnffer lime. This done, the apex of 
the inflorescence is sliced with a knife. 
The terms Ktnm Mala ami Ahnnla are used 
for the flower at different stages of its itevelop- 
ment. On the second day the inan similarly 
cuts the flower once, and on the third day he 
cuts it twice (morning and evening), and 
suspends a vessel from the wounded inflorescence. 
If the flower is shaded by leaves so as to pre- 
vent the tree access of sun, such leaves are cut 
away. As a preventative against the flower 
breaking, it is tied to an upper leaf, and in order 
to kee)) it motionless, a few stones are sus- 
pended. 
It is important to observe that there are two 
kinds of flowers called I he Kohu Mala and the 
Ala Mala respectively. 
The same “medicines ” are used for both the 
flowers, but the most striking differoiice is, that 
the Kohu Mala always require a dry season, 
but if there is excessive rain, the flower becomes 
so hard that the sharpest knife would fail to cut 
it. There is also every probability of this flower 
rotting. Any jirevailing weather generally suits 
the A la Main. Of course there are exceptional 
instances where this flower also rots, but such 
cases are verj' rare. Another difference is that 
the Kuhu Mala is not liable to be broken easily, 
while the Ala Mala is very easily broken. 
The first yield of sweet toddy is generally 
rejected. To make sweet toddy ferment and 
become sour, the roots of eramaniya (Zizyphujt 
jujuba), and Sevendera ( A ndropoynn zpylanicnn) are 
first sliced into fine pieces, put into the vessel 
and hung from the flower. (Similarly to jirevent 
fermentation, the barks of the Mai trie ( Vateria 
acMwiiW/ffl) and the leaves of Ankeiida (/icrcmi/- 
chia Iniirifolia) are put into the vessels. 
1 have observed in the case of an extremely 
fertile tree an uninterrupted flow of the juice, 
while in trees of ordinary vigour the floiv goes 
on at intervals. A profit of U.SOO to lUOO could 
safely bo calculated (deducting e.xpeases for 
