30 
the base of the Himalayas; towards the north-east of our limits it begins to disappear, and is 
replaced by C. affinis, and in the extreme north-west its place is taken by C. garrulus of Europe and 
Western Asia. Adams asserts that it is also found in Ladakh and Tibet, and he ignores the existence 
of C. garrulus in the north-west.” In some parts of India it is said to be a partial migrant and in 
others a resident, this being probably, in the former case, owing to its avoiding the extreme heat of 
some parts of the country which it inhabits, and it is said to be much more often met with on the 
plains than in the wild hilly districts. Mr. A.. O. Hume states that it is in the Terai between 
Darjeeling and in Eastern Bengal that the range of the present species meets that of Coracias ajinis, 
and where they commence to interbreed. In Ceylon, Mr. Holdsworth remarks, though locally 
common in the north, he never met with it in the Aripu district nor in the south of the island, 
though he often did so between Colombo and Kandy; and Captain Legge states that its distribution 
in the island is very local, as it dwells in the dry portions of the island, migrating to the damp 
district of the west chiefly during the dry season. Its head-quarters may be said to be the Jaffna 
peninsula, the open portions of the northern sea-board, and certain parts of the interior of the Northern 
and N.W. Provinces, where it is common in many parts and absent from others. He did not observe 
it in the Aripu district, though it occurs on the adjacent island of Manaar. “ To the south of the 
jungles bordering the coast of the Bay of Kalpentyn,” he writes, “ it is not uncommon. I have 
seen it in the Kalpentyn peninsula itself, and about Puttalam and Chilaw it is a well-known bird. 
It is resident as far south as Madampe, and likewise in the region between that and Kurunegala ; 
but below this line it occurs chiefly as a straggler between the months of October and March. In 
this season it may often be seen about Veangodde and Ambepussa, and I have procured it in the 
Hewagam Korale, a little to the south of Colombo, in July, I doubt, however, if it resides in that 
district. I have never seen or heard of it to the south of the Kaluganga, nor did I meet with it in 
the very likely country between Haputale and Hambantota. It may occur in the Eastern Province, 
but I have no information to that effect. In the Trincomalie district it is now and then seen from 
December to February; but a little inland, about Eatmalie, it is common enough. Eastward of this 
point, through the centre of the island, it musters, as above remarked, strongly, confining itself, of 
course, to open districts, fields surrounded by the village tanks, and dried-up paddy-land. Even here, 
however, it is local; for although it is common near Hurulle, I have never seen it about Haborenna, 
which is separated from the former place by a tract of forest.” 
This Poller has even been stated to have straggled as far north and west as England; but as the 
specimen recorded came through a bird-stuffer’s hands there is just a possibility of its having been in 
error changed with a specimen of Coracias garrulus^ as hundreds of the Indian Poller are imported 
into this country for plumes, and are to be met with at bird-stuffers’ shops all over the country. 
However, Mr. Cordeaux, who first recorded its occurrence here, states [1. c.) that “ there is perfectly 
satisfactory evidence that the bird was obtained as described, and that there is no possibility of its having 
been exchanged for any foreign skin of a Poller; there are also no indications of its having been 
an escaped bird.” The specimen in question was shot at Muckton, near Louth, Lincolnshire, on 
the 27th October, 1883, by a cottager, and sent to Mr. Kew, the Louth bird-stuffer and hair-dresser, 
in the flesh. Mr. Cordeaux saw it when set up and drying, bound up with coarse cotton thread 
over slips of wood to keep the feathers in position, but did not then recognize it as being the Indian 
Poller, but subsequently when able better to examine it he saw what it was, and obtained it from 
Mr. Kew, and has since presented it to the Cambridge Museum. It was sent to me for examination 
by Professor Newton, and it is certainly referable to the present species, but it appears strange that 
it should stray so far out of its normal range. 
