166 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



olive-green ; wings brown, edged with green ; tail narrow, light 

 brown with a green tinge, and the outer feathers on each side with 

 a narrow white tip ; beneath white, with a concealed black, spot on 

 each side of the throat, formed by the bases of some of the 

 feathers, and only seen at times. 



Bill dark horny above, pale fleshy beneath ; legs fleshy ; irides 

 reddish-yellow. Length, male 6i inches ; wing nearly 2 ; tail 

 3^ ; bill at front i ; tarsus nearly -fj^. 



Thei-e are four dark brown hairs arising from the nape, two on 

 each side. In the male the two centre tail feathers are much 

 elongated, 1^ inches or so longer than the next pair, and the rest 

 are rounded and slightly graduated. The female is barely 5 inches 

 lonf ; tail 2. In some specimens (especially in those from Ceylon) 

 the ashy nape is inconspicuous, being nearly overlaid Avith rufous, 

 and passing into the green of the back ; and Ceylon birds appear to 

 have the bill also somewhat longer than those of continental India. 



The well known Tailor-bird is found throughout all India, 

 from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin and Ceylon, and extending 

 into the Burmese countries. It is most common in well-wooded dis- 

 tricts, frequenting gardens, hedge-rows, orchards, low jungle, and 

 even now and then the more open parts of high tree jungles. It is 

 usually in pairs, at times in small flocks, incessantly hopping about 

 the branches of trees, shrtibs, pea-rows and the like, with a loud 

 reiterated call ; and picking various insects, chiefly ants, cicadella;, 

 and various small larvse, off the bark and leaves, and not unfrequent- 

 ly seeking them on the ground. It has the habit of raising its tail 

 whilst feeding and hopping about, and at times, especially when 

 calling, it raises the feathers and displays the concealed black stripe 

 on its neck. The ordinary note of the Tailor is to-icee-to-ioee-to- 

 ivee; or as syllabized by Layard pretty-pretty-pretty; when alarmed 

 or angry, it has a different call. It is a familiar bird, venturing 

 close to houses, but when aware that it is being watched, it 

 becomes wary and shy. 



The Tailor-bird makes its nest with cotton, wool, and various 

 other soft materials, sometimes also lined with hair, and draws to- 

 gether one leaf or more, generally two leaves, on each side of the 

 nest, and stitches them together with cotton, either woven by itself, 



