arama, and Demala, though Hindu in architecture, are thus Buddhist shrines, but there are numerous smaller temples at Polonnaruwa which are Hindu both in architecture and reality. Of these we have already seen Siva Devalé Nos. I and 2. But away out on a promontory projecting into Topa Wewa, not far from the main road, are many others, more or less in a state of ruin. They lie between the groups containing Jetawanarama and Thuparama, and, being so accessible, can be visited any time. Some of them are erected to the honour of Vishnu, and stand side by side with those to Siva. A full account of these small temples and the work done on them will be found in the 1908 Report.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE BEAUTY OF THE BUND

WHATEVER penalty there may be to suffer in the way of heat, it is certain that sometimes those who sit in the rest-house verandah at Polonnaruwa must condone the sins of the P.W.D., for the view is worth much suffering. The length of the silver-blue lake stretches out toward the central hills, sometimes cobalt in colouring, but in uncertain weather deep indigo and smoke-grey. On one side the flat green pastures show up the feeding herds, and on the other the thick jungle growth is the home of innumerable happy wild creatures. Between the verandah and the water the ground breaks away sharply, dropping to broken rocks and a tangle of huge stones and bushes. The interval is the theatre for a surprising amount of life. There are small chaffinch-like birds with crested heads, who live in the eaves, and when they fly expand their tails into white fans, while an unexpected flash of red springs out from under their wings. In the fine whip-like bushes on the very edge of the verandah are tiny little birds, no bigger than wrens, but with fine pointed heads and long beaks, so delicately made they look as if they would easily slip through a finger-ring. They are not nearly so large as the

great velvet-winged butterflies, black, white, and red, with huge bodies, which are seen in myriads, or the still larger and much less common fellow, pure black and white, with an undulating flight easily to be mistaken for a bird. The long-tailed fly-catcher, or "Bird of Paradise," of the terracotta variety, is fairly common, and his hue is matched almost exactly in the under-wing of a grass-green bird about the size of a starling, which appears in flocks. To relieve the greens and reds there are numbers of the kingfisher and the laughing jackass species, showing marvellous hues of iridescent blue. So tiny are some of the kingfishers, that the sparkling speck of blue appearing and disappearing seems an illusion, while others are large with orange waistcoats. Looking down sternly on this revel of the fairies may be a hawk or kite, with sober brown coat and white shirtfront, as rigid as the dead bough on which he sits, with only his brilliant staring eyes ever turning like wheels in his motionless head as he glances this way and that. But these are only a few species that strike the eye of the least observant; doubtless many other varieties could be added by any one accustomed to watch bird-life, and having some knowledge of the ornithology of Ceylon.

Staring idly at the kaleidoscopic changes of colour one day, I caught sight of something like big lizards chasing each other over the bare rocks near the water, just about the place which the population of Polonnaruwa chooses for its Sunday afternoon ablutions. "Baby crocs!" said an inhabitant beside me. "The tank swarms with the brutes. No, they're not big enough to be really

dangerous, but you will notice the natives do their bathing on shore!"

From the rest-house southward along the bund of the tank the way leads to the remaining sights of Polonnaruwa. It is a fascinating walk, made joyous by the hum and chatter of the happy wild things who live by the way. The old circuithouse is passed, covered with a mass of pink antigonon, showing up against the dark striped orange and maroon leaves of the crotons, growing the size of trees beside it. In the narrow track it is necessary to step carefully in order not to stumble over the dull-coloured tortoises, as large as footballs, that are feeding in the grass. Sometimes, but not frequently, a perfect little specimen of a marked tortoise, his quaint shell a beautiful and intricate pattern of gamboge and sepia, may be noticed.

The boughs of the large trees ahead are convulsed at our approach, and an avalanche of monkeys, who have been feeding on the thickly growing yellow seeds of a large banyan, precipitate themselves one by one across an aerial gulf, landing in a mass of swaying twigs. They live in a Paradise of long, swinging lianas and twisted, natural ropes and abundant food and good company, unharmed by man. In some of the far outlying districts monkeys are eaten still, but only by people who are very poor. Mr. Perera reports one of such monkey-eating tribes at Ataragallewa in a miserable condition; he came across them in the course of circuit exploration in 1912, and describes them as "haggardlylooking creatures."

In the days of the city's prime there were buildings even in the area of Topa Wewa itself. Some of these have been excavated. One of them was a dagaba which had been rifled by the Tamils, who, as usual, had done their work thoroughly. A part of a brick Yantra-gala was discovered; this was one of the twenty-five hole variety, and some of its compartments contained antiques in bronze in the form of gods and animals. Beneath, further investigation revealed a copper coin (date circ. A.D. 1200) and a few other trifles. The most important find, however, was a dwarf obelisk, I foot 8 inches in full height, with seven projecting horizontal ribs on its sides. It was painted in colour, and was surmounted by a small dagaba of thin beaten gold, made hollow. This was obviously a relic-casket, for it contained a gold coin and seventeen gems. There were various other small finds, such as bronze gods, cobras, insignia, and utensils, but all intrinsically of little value.

Other dagabas and viharas have been excavated in the bed of the lake; one mound disclosed a building which may probably have been a royal palace, for it was evident there were several such subsidiary residences, occupied according to the changes of the seasons.

After about a mile the bund crosses the ancient spill-water of the lake, which now might almost be mistaken for natural rock, so broken and tumbled are the mighty blocks of stone.

A little way further the path bifurcates, the straight branch going on to the next village, and that on the left turning away from the lake. A