Volume 1

Ceylon : a general description of the island, historical, physical, statistical. Containing the most recent information / by an officer, late of the Ceylon rifles.

  • Suckling, Horatio John.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ceylon : a general description of the island, historical, physical, statistical. Containing the most recent information / by an officer, late of the Ceylon rifles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to collect on the spot many interesting facts relative to the structure and habits of the numerous tribes of animals. These, chastened by the corrections of my fellow-travellers, and established by the examina- tion of collections made in the colony, and by subse- rpient comparison with specimens contained in museums at home, I have ventured to submit as faithful outlines of fauna of Ceylon. The sections descriptive of the several classes are accompanied by lists, prepared with the assistance of scientific friends, showing the extent to which each particular branch had been investigated by naturalists, up to the period of my departure from Ceylon at the close of 1849. These, besides their inherent interest, will, I trust, stimulate others to engage in the same pursuit, by exhibiting chasms, which it remains for future industry and research to fill up ; — and the study of the zoology of Ceylon may thus serve as a preparative for that of Continental India, embracing, as the former does, much that is common to both, as well as possessing a fauna peculiar to the island, that in itself Avill amply repay more extended scrutiny. From these lists have been excluded all species regarding the authenticity of which reasonable doubts coidd be entertained \ and of some of them, a very few have been ])rinted in italics^ in order to denote the desirability of more minute comparison with well deter- mined specimens in the great national depositories be- fore finally incorporating them with the Singhalese catalogues. ^ An exception occurs in tlie list of shells, prepared by Mr. Sylvanus Hanley, in whicli some whose loca- lities are doubtful have been ad- mitted for reasons adduced. (See Vol. 1. p. 234.) b VOL. I.