10 
Lieut. W. V. Legge on the Distribution of 
its shrillness and great clearness. I have seen but one or two 
examples of Milvus govinda on the south coast ; but Haliastur 
Indus is exceedingly numerous everywhere, breeding on high 
trees some distance inland. It is noticeable with what ease 
this bird indulges in its favourite habit of eating its food from 
the talons when flying about: these members are brought 
forward under the breast; and, with a combined backward and 
upward pull from the legs and shoulders respectively, pieces 
are torn from the booty with but little exertion. While skim¬ 
ming along they sometimes pick off a luckless Calotes very 
cleverly, which has happened to be indulging in a bask on 
the topmost twigs of some low tree. The noble Blagrus leu - 
cogaster is sparingly distributed in suitable localities round 
the south-west corner of the island ; but the flat shores of the 
Kattregam district are its great haunt. Micronisus badius 
and Tinnunculus alaudarius are pretty common, the latter, of 
course, only a winter visitor in immature plumage, in districts 
where there are sea-coast cliffs, in which it always roosts. Astur 
trivirgatus I have procured in immature plumage from the 
wooded hills on the coast some twenty miles north of Galle, 
and, I have no doubt, is to be found during the north-east 
monsoon throughout the district. Elanus melanopterus was 
an unexpected addition to my good things from the citronella- 
grass districts to the north of Galle. I had supposed it was 
chiefly a hill-species; but I also saw it much on the south-east 
coast; it hovers a great deal over long grass, like a Kestrel. 
Poliornis teesa, I think, has never been recorded from Ceylon; 
but a fine immature male came into my possession last Oc¬ 
tober, which was killed on the sea-coast close to Galle. I 
have no doubt that when ornithology is more studied in this 
island and more birds preserved than at present, many mem¬ 
bers of Indian Falconidse which have not yet been noticed, 
will be found to stray over the island when the prevailing wind 
is from the north. 
Of Circinse, the only two species that are common are Circus 
swainsonii and C. eeruginosus; both affect by choice swampy 
lands and paddy-fields. The latter bird arrives in the south 
in the middle of October, and is very numerous close to the 
