South-eastern Subdivision of Southern Ceylon. 397 



Colombo^ where I took many of their eggs. There is uo 

 mistaking this species for D. validus or D.jerdoni ; for it is not 

 more than three quarters of the size of these. There is like- 

 wise no mistaking its nest for that of D.jerdoni. My iden- 

 tifications, therefore, quoted by Mr. Holdsworth (P. Z. S. 

 1872, p. 456), must undoubtedly be taken to refer to this 

 bird ; and I do not see how that gentleman could have over- 

 looked it in the Colombo district. Two low-country ex- 

 amples in my collection, both males, have the wings exactly 

 two inches long ; but an up-country specimen, shot in the 

 Knuckles coflFee-estate district, at 2500 feet elevation, and 

 which was so large that I sent it home for identification, has 

 the wing 2*1. 



68. Drymoipus validus, Blyth. 



Inhabits the scrubs of the coast-region and suitable loca- 

 lities in the interior. I have no doubt D.jerdoni is especially 

 common; but I did not procure specimens. My D. validus 

 from this part coiTCsponds exactly with specimens from Co- 

 lombo, identified as such by Lord Walden. Mr. Holdsworth 

 is in error concerning my not getting it at Colombo [vide 

 P. Z. S. 1872, p. 457) ; most of my birds from that district 

 were this species^. The bills of four males now before me 

 range between '52 and '57 inch at front. 



69. Prinia socialis, Sykes. 



I observed this species here and there in jungle-clearings 

 in the Wellaway Korle ; it is nowhere a numerous bird in 

 this island. 



70. Prinia hodgsoni, Blyth, " Additions to Ceylon Avi- 

 fauna," Str. Feathers, vol. iii. p. 203. 



This little Prinia, a new bird to our list, and one of our 

 most local species, is very numerous in jungle-clearings in the 

 interior and along the Badulla road in the Wellaway Korle. 



* Unless measurements are taken, as well as an accurate description, 

 when examiniug the collections of others, it is more than probable that 

 an erroneous judgment will be pronounced a year or so afterwards in 

 writing of such. Mr. Holdsworth took no measurements or description 

 when looking over my Drymoecinse. 



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