parrots, and other birds of dazzling hues, are
observed with never-flagging interest from the windows of the slowly
moving cars, while on this inland route to Kandy. The marabou, which
is so much prized for its delicate feathers, is occasionally seen
stalking watchfully by the shaded pools, seizing now and then upon
small reptiles with its formidable bill and devouring them at a single
gulp. It seems strange that these birds can swallow with impunity
snakes and other vicious reptiles while they are yet alive. One would
think that creatures whose bite is often fatal to human beings would
under such circumstances cause a fearful state of commotion in a
bird's crop. If ostriches, however, can swallow and digest large
nails, jackknives, and corkscrews, perhaps the gastric juices of these
smaller birds may have special properties to aid them in effectually
disposing of poisonous reptiles.

How well our first trip inland in Ceylon is remembered. While watching
the novel and intensely interesting sights, the air was heavy with
aromatic fragrance, and sweet with the odor of lilies, while a feeling
of quiet content stole over the senses, as in a half-waking dream from
which one does not desire to be aroused. Was the brain yielding to the
subtle breath of those gorgeous lotus flowers, which opened wide their
delicate pink petals to the sunshine? This queen of the lily tribe,
the lotus, is here seen in two varieties, the pink and the white. They
resemble very closely the common pond-lily of our own climate, but are
thrice their size. The seeds are a mild narcotic, and are sometimes
eaten by the natives to produce that effect. It is said that birds of
the wading family sometimes partake of them until they become
stupefied. The seed is about the size of a hazel-nut, and leaves a
bitter, puckering taste in the mouth.

The white-ant hills which rise to such proportions here and there in
the wooded districts remind us that these minute but marvelously
industrious creatures are one of the great pests of equatorial
regions, and that they are especially destructive in this island.
Attracted by the very dry condition of the wood, they bore holes in
the timbers which form the frames of the better class of dwellings,
and therein lay their eggs. As soon as the young ants are hatched,
they begin to devour the wood, and continue to do so until it falls to
pieces. They operate on the inside, avoiding the outer part, proving
to be the most ste