Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History Part 20

[Footnote 1: Gallus Lafayetti, _Lesson_.]

VI. GRALLae.--On reaching the marshy plains and shallow lagoons on either side of the island, the astonishment of the stranger is excited by the endless mult.i.tudes of stilt-birds and waders which stand in long array within the wash of the water, or sweep in vast clouds above it.

Ibises[1], storks[2], egrets, spoonbills[3], herons[4], and the smaller races of sand larks and plovers, are seen busily traversing the wet sand, in search of the red worm which burrows there, or peering with steady eye to watch the motions of the small fry and aquatic insects in the ripple on the sh.o.r.e.

[Footnote 1: Tantalus leucocephalus, and Ibis falcinellus.]

[Footnote 2: The violet-headed Stork (Ciconia leucocephala).]

[Footnote 3: Platalea leucorodia, _Linn_.]

[Footnote 4: Ardea cinerea. A. purpurea.]

VII. ANSERES.--Preeminent in size and beauty, the tall _flamingoes_[1], with rose-coloured plumage, line the beach in long files. The Singhalese have been led, from their colour and their military order, to designate them the "_English Soldier birds_." Nothing can be more startling than the sudden flight of these splendid creatures when alarmed; their strong wings beating the air sound like distant thunder; and as they soar over head, the flock which appeared almost white but a moment before, is converted into crimson by the sudden display of the red lining of their wings. A peculiarity in the beak of the flamingo has scarcely attracted due attention, as a striking ill.u.s.tration of creative wisdom in adapting the organs of animals to their local necessities. The upper mandible, which is convex in other birds, is in them flattened, whilst the lower, instead of being flat, is convex. To those who have had an opportunity of witnessing the action of the bird in its native haunts, the expediency of this arrangement is at once apparent. The flamingo, to counteract the extraordinary length of its legs, is provided with a proportionately long neck, so that in feeding in shallow water the crown of the head becomes inverted and the upper mandible brought into contact with the bottom; where its flattened surface qualifies it for performing the functions of the lower one in birds of the same cla.s.s; and the edges of both being laminated, it is thus enabled, like the duck, by the aid of its fleshy tongue, to sift its food before swallowing.

[Footnote 1: Phoenicopterus roseus, _Pallas_.]

Floating on the surface of the deeper water, are fleets of the Anatidae, the Coromandel teal[1], the Indian hooded gull[2], the Caspian tern, and a countless variety of ducks and smaller fowl. Pelicans[3] in great numbers resort to the mouths of the rivers, taking up their position at sunrise on some projecting rock, from which to dart on the pa.s.sing fish, and returning far inland at night to their retreats among the trees which overshadow some ruined watercourse or deserted tank.

[Footnote 1: Nettapus Coromandelia.n.u.s, _Gmel._]

[Footnote 2: Larus brunnicephalus, _Jerd._]

[Footnote 3: Pelica.n.u.s Philippensis, _Gmel._]

Of the birds familiar to European sportsmen, partridges and quails are to be had at all times; the woodc.o.c.k has occasionally been shot in the hills, and the ubiquitous snipe, which arrives in September from Southern India, is identified not alone by the eccentricity of its flight, but by retaining in high perfection the qualities which have endeared it to the gastronome at home. But the magnificent pheasants which inhabit the Himalayan range and the woody hills of the Chin-Indian peninsula, have no representative amongst the tribes that people the woods of Ceylon; although a bird believed to be a pheasant has more than once been seen in the jungle, close to Rambodde, on the road to Neuera-ellia.

_List of Ceylon Birds_.

In submitting this catalogue of the birds of Ceylon, I am anxious to state that the copious ma.s.s of its contents is mainly due to the untiring energy and exertions of my friend, Mr. E.L. Layard. Nearly every bird in the list has fallen by his gun; so that the most ample facilities have been thus provided, not only for extending the limited amount of knowledge which formerly existed on this branch of the zoology of the island; but for correcting, by actual comparison with recent specimens, the errors which had previously prevailed as to imperfectly described species. The whole of Mr. Layard's fine collection is at present in England.

Accipitres.

Aquila Bonelli, _Temm_.

pennata, _Gm_.

Spizaetus Nipalensis, _Hodgs_.

limnaeetus, _Horsf_.

Ictinaetus Malayensis, _Reinw_.

Haematornis cheela, _Daud_.

spilogaster, _Blyth_.

Pontoaetus leucogaster, _Gm_.

ichthyaetus, _Horsf_.

Haliastur Indus, _Bodd_.

Falco peregrinus, _Linn_.

_peregrinator, Sund_.

Tinnunculus alaudarius, _Briss_.

Hypotriorchis chicquera, _Daud_.

Baza lophotes, _Cuv_.

Milvus govinda, _Sykes_.

Ela.n.u.s melanopterus, _Daud_.

Astur trivirgatus, _Temm_.

Accipiter badius, _Gm_.

Circus Swainsonii, _A. Smith_.

cincrascens, _Mont_.

melanoleucos, _Gm_.

_aeruginosus, Linn._ Athene castonatus, _Blyth_.

scutulata, _Raffles_.

Ephialtes scops, _Linn_.

lempijii, _Horsf_.

sunia, _Hodgs_.

Ketupa Ceylonensis, _Gm_.

Syrnium Indranee, _Sykes_.

Strix Javanica, _Gm_.

Pa.s.seres.

Batrachostomus moniliger, _Layard_.

Caprimulgus Mahrattensis, _Sykes_.

Kelaarti, _Blyth_.

Asiaticus, _Lath_.

Cypselus bata.s.siensis, _Gray_.

melba, _Linn_.

affinis, _Gray_.

Macropteryx coronatus, _Tickell_.

Collocalia brevirostris, _McClel_.

Acanthylis caudacuta, _Lath_.

Hirundo panayana, _Gm_.

daurica, _Linn_.

hyperythra, _Layard_.

domicola, _Jerdon_.

Coracias Indica, _Linn_.

Harpactes fasciatus, _Gm_.

Eurystomus orientalis, _Linn_.

Halcyon Capensis, _Linn_.

atricapillus, _Gm_.

Smyrnensis, _Linn_.

Ceyx tridactyla, _Linn_.

Alcedo Bengalensis, _Gm_.

Ceryle rudis, _Linn_.

Merops Philippinus, _Linn_.

viridis, _Linn_.

quincticolor, _Vieill_.

Upupa nigripennis, _Gould_.

Nectarina Zeylanica, _Linn_.

minima, _Sykes_.

Asiatica, _Lath_.

Lotenia, _Linn_.

Dicaeum minimum, _Tickell_.

Phyllornis Malabarica, _Lath_.

Jerdoni, _Blyth_.