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Show •374 MR. W. V. LEGGE ON THE BIRDS OF CEYLON. [May 4, 5. On the Breeding of certain Grallatores and Natatores the S.E. of Ceylon, with Notes on the Nestling-plumages of the same. By W . VINCENT LEGGE, R.A., F.Z.S. [Received April 20, 1875.] During the prevalence of the S.W. monsoon in the month of June last year I made a trip to the S.E. coast of Ceylon, a locality but little known as regards its ornithology, with the view of ascertaining whether our Sternina, which, for the most part, leave the western side of the island at that season, were to be found then on the opposite and sheltered coast, or whether they were absent from that part also, and had migrated northwards for the purpose of breeding. The reward of this determination, revealed immediately on m y arrival at m y headquarters, Hambantota, certainly exceeded my expectation. I looked forward to seeing immature examples of many Terns, such as Gelochelidon anglicus, Sterna bengalensis, S. pelecanoides, &c, wandering about the salt lakes ; but I was not prepared to find hundreds of Sternula and Charadriina, still less Himantopus, breeding on the salt-pans when, as I had conceived and others with me, they were engaged iu carrying out that responsible duty thousands of miles north ! Nevertheless, in spite of m y preconceptions, there they were unmistakably occupied in the business of laying eggs and hatching young in a temperature of 87° Fahr. (in the shade), as if there were no such thing in existence as a delightful Central-Asian climate to do all this in. And as therefore this is tbe first record of the breeding in Ceylon of these birds, I propose to give the result of my discoveries in the following notes. 1. JEGIALITES CANTIANUS, Latham. This Sand-Plover, together with AH. mongolicus (for the most part in winter dress* and not breeding), was the most abundant of the Charadriina met with during m y explorations. But before remarking on its nesting, I will describe the habitat of this and other Waders in this part of Ceylon. A chain of shallow lakes or salt-pans, from which the Government, of Ceylon annually obtains quantities of salt, fringe the coast in this flat district for many miles to the north of Hambantota; they are situated at about ^ of a mile from the sea shore, being separated from the beach by a narrow belt of jungle through which there is no communication with the outer salt water. The salt-pans (or lewaysf as they are termed in Ceylon) are of great extent, many of them being more than 10 miles in circumference; but iu the hot weather they become partly dried up (at which time the annual salt-"collections" take place), leaving around them a wide belt of foreshore consisting of a mixture of mud and sand, covered in many parts by tracts of * These must undoubtedly be birds of the previous year, not yet arrived at sufficient maturity to breed. t Pronounced Layroy. |