Sketches of Natural History of Ceylon | Page 6

clouds
Note on Ceylon fishes by Professor Huxley
Comparative note by Dr. Gray, Brit. Mus.
Note on the Bora-chung
CHAP. XI.
MOLLUSCA, RADIATA, AND ACALEPHÆ.
I. Conchology.--General character of Ceylon shells Confusion
regarding them in scientific works and collections Ancient export of
shells from Ceylon Special forms confined to particular localities The
pearl fishery of Aripo Frequent suspensions of Experiment to create
beds of the pearl oyster Process of diving for pearls Danger from sharks
The transparent pearl oyster (_Placuna placenta_) The "musical fish" at
Ballicaloa A similar phenomenon at other places Faculty of uttering
sounds in fishes Instance in the Tritonia arborescens Difficulty in
forming a list of Ceylon shells List of Ceylon shells
II. Radiata.--Star fish Sea slugs Parasitic worms Planaria
III. _Acalephæ_, abundant The Portuguese man-of-war Red infusoria
Note on the Tritonia arborescens
CHAP. XII.
INSECTS.
Profusion of insects in Ceylon Imperfect knowledge of
I. Coleoptera.--Beetles Scavenger beetles Coco-nut beetles Tortoise
beetles
II. Orthoptera.--Mantis and leaf-insects Stick-insects
III. Neuroptera.--Dragon flies Ant-lion White ants Anecdotes of their

instinct and ravages
IV. Hymenoptera.--Mason wasps Wasps Bees Carpenter Bee Ants
Burrowing ants
V. Lepidoptera.--Butterflies The spectre Lycænidæ Moths Silk worms
Stinging caterpillars Wood-carrying moths Pterophorus
VI. Homoptera Cicada
VII. Hemiptera Bugs
VIII. Aphaniptera IX. Diptera.--Mosquitoes Mosquitoes the "plague of
flies" The coffee bug
General character of Ceylon insects
List of insects in Ceylon
CHAP. XIII.
ARACHNIDÆ, MYRIOPODA, CRUSTACÆ, ETC.
Spiders Strange nets of the wood spiders The mygale Birds killed by it
Olios Taprobanius The galeodes Gregarious spiders Ticks
Mites.--Trombidium tinctorum Myriapods.--Centipedes Cermatia
Scolopendra crassa S. pollippes The fish insect
Millipeds.--Julus
_Crustacæ_ Calling crabs Sand crabs Painted crabs Paddling crabs
_Annelidæ_, Leeches.--The land leech Medicinal leech Cattle leech
List of Articulata, &c.
Note.--On the revivification of the Rotifera and Paste-eels

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
View of an Elephant Corral Frontispiece
Group of Ceylon Monkeys to face 5
The Loris (_Loris gracilis_) 12
Group of Flying Foxes (_Pteropus Edwardsii_) to face 14
Head of the Horse-shoe Bat (_Rhynulophus_) 19
Nycteribia 21
Indian Bear (_Prochylus labiatus_) 23
Ceylon Leopard and Indian Cheetah 26
Jackal's Skull and "Horn" 36
Mongoos of Neura-ellia (_Herpestes vitticollis_) 38
Flying Squirrel (_Pteromys oral_) 41
Coffee Rat (_Golunda Elliotti_) 44
Bandicoot Rat (_Mus bandicota_) 45
Pengolin (_Manis pentadactylus_) 47
Skeleton of the Pengolin 48
Moose-deer (_Moschus meminna_) 55
The Dugong (_Halicore dugung_) 69
The Mermaid, from Valentyn 72
Brain of the Elephant 95
Bones of the Fore-leg 108
Elephant descending a Hill 111
Elephant's Well 122
Elephant's Stomach, showing the Water-cells 125
Elephant's Trachea 126
Water-cells in the Stomach of the Camel 128
Section of the Elephant's Skull 145
Fence and Ground-plan of a Corral 172
Mode of tying an Elephant 184
His Struggles for Freedom 185
Impotent Fury 188
Obstinate Resistance 189
Attitude for Defence 203
Singular Contortions of an Elephant 204
Figures of the African and Indian Elephants on Greek and Roman
Coins 208

Medal of Numidia 212
Modern "Hendoo" ib.
The Horn-bill (_Buceros pica_) 243
The "Devil-bird" (_Syrnium Indranec_) 247
The "Cotton-thief" (_Tchitrea paradisi_) 250
Layard Mountain Jay (_Cissa puella_) 252
The "Double-spur" (_Gallo-perdix bicalcaratus_) 260
The Flamingo (_Phoenicopterus roseus_) 261
The Kabara-goya Lizard (_Hydrosaurus salvator_) 273
The Green Calotes (_Calotes ophiomachus_) 276
Tongue of the Chameleon 278
Ceratophora to face 280
Skulls of the Crocodile and Alligator 283
Terrapin (_Emys trijuga_) 290
Shield-tailed Serpent (_Uropeltis grandis_) 302
Tree Snake (_Passerita fusca_) to face 307
Sea Snake (_Hydrophis subloevisis_) to face 311
Saw of the Saw-fish (_Pristis antiquorum_) to face 326
Ray (_Aëtobates narinari_) 327
Sword-fish (_Histiophorus immaculatus_) 330
Cheironectes 331
Pterois volitans 334
Scarus harid 335
Perch (_Therapon quadrilineatus_) 337
Eel (_Mastacembelus armatus_) 338

Mode of Fishing, after Rain 340
Plan of a Fish Decoy 342
The Anabas of the dry Tanks 354
The Violet Ianthina and its Shell 370
Bullia vittata ib.
Pearl Oysters, in various Stages of Growth to face 380
Pearl Oyster, full grown to face 381
Cerithium palustre ib.
The Portuguese Man-of-war (_Physalus urticulus_) 399
Longicorn Beetle (_Batocera rubus_) 406
Leaf Insects, &c 409
Eggs of the Leaf Insect (_Phyllium siccifolium_) 410
The Carpenter Bee (_Xylocapa tenniscapa_) 419
Wood-carrying Moths 431
The "Knife, grinder" (_Cicada_) 432
Flata (_Elidiptera Emersoniana and Poeciloptera Tennentii_) 433
The "Coffee-bug" (_Lecanium caffeæ_) to face 436
Spider (_Mygate fasciata_) to face 465
Cermatia 473
The Calling Crab (_Gelusimus_) 477

Eyes and Teeth of the Leech 480
Land Leeches preparing to attack 481
Medicinal Leech of Ceylon 483

CHAPTER I
.
MAMMALIA.
With the exception of the Mammalia and Birds, the fauna of Ceylon
has, up to the present, failed to receive that systematic attention to
which its richness and variety most amply entitle it. The Singhalese
themselves, habitually indolent, and singularly unobservant of nature
and her operations, are at the same time restrained from the study of
natural history by the tenet of their religion which forbids the taking of