THE DEVIL BIRDS OF CEYLON

Suddenly the silence was shattered. White screaming it began to shake Its head up and down like a pouter pigeon. As it ended its scream and was about to take oft Dad fired. Down fell the bird into the water. Dad's only words were.

                   "That's the devil bid. Now get down and fetch it. It was 2.45 am, and shivering I went down. I caught it by the wing and found my middle finger gripped in it's talons. The pain was terrible. I pulled the talons out and, carried it up by the wings. The man with us begged Dad to throw it away as it was the Utama.