NOTES. 193 
The first specimen obtained here was shot by the Museum 
Taxidermist (Mr. H. F. Fernando) in Jaffna in December, 1891. 
In 1896 the skins of a male and a female, also from Jaffna, were 
purchased, and in February, 1897, one was shot by Mr. Thomas 
Farr at Bogawantalawa. 
The 1904 invasion has been very noticeable, the birds cropping 
up in considerable numbers, ten or more specimens being 
accounted for in Colombo alone. One was shot at Nuwara Eliya. 
Perhaps this exceptional migration is connected with the steady 
blowing of the monsoon, coupled with the failure of the rainfall 
in South India. 
The term “ short-eared ” refers to a pair of short tufts, each 
consisting of two or three feathers only, over the facial disks. 
These tufts can be erected and depressed. When depressed they 
are almost indistinguishable. In the living bird they are to be 
seen erected during the early forenoon. 
(10) An Indian Crested Falcon or Black-crested Baza (j Baza 
lophotes) shot on the Dea Ella estate, Galagedara, in October, 1903, 
has been purchased this year. It is a rare migrant. The first 
specimen, a damaged skin, was deposited here at the opening of 
the Museum in 1877; two more were purchased in Kandy in 
1900 and have been placed on exhibition. The present specimen 
is the fourth to be acquired by the Museum, and is a perfect 
skin. 
B.—Resident Birds. 
Two birds acquired by the Museum during 1904 deserve 
special mention on account of their exceptional character and 
rarity. 
(1) A semi-albino of the White-browed Bulbul ( Pycnonotus 
luteolus , formerly Ixos luteolus) has been given to the Museum by 
Mr. W. W. Stevens. The plumage is coloured almost uniformly 
a pale canary yellow. The prevailing colour of the upper 
plumage of the normal bird is a dull green or "grayish-green. I 
have recently seen a perfect albino of the Rose-ringed Paroquet, 
that is to say, having pink eyes as well as decolorized plumage, in 
which the latter was a uniform rich canary yellow except for 
the red collar, the normal colour being a bright green. On the 
other hand, the albinos of the Crow and of the Peafowl are 
white. 
(2) The skin of a Ceylon Bay Owl ( Photodilus assimilis ) from 
Kurunegala, said to have been shot in August, 1903, was purchased 
in Kandy. This species is one of the rarest existing Owls, having 
only been found in the Ceylon hills (cf. Blanford, op. cit ., vol. III., 
