NOTES. 301 



forest, flitting and hopping about among the shrubs and plants 

 looking for insects. Abundant though they be, the tailor bird is 

 unknown to quite a number of people ; this is due to the fact that 

 he is not arrayed in gay plumage and is very small , so fails to attract 

 the eye. His feathers are of sober hue, but he makes up with 

 vivacity what he lacks in brilliance of plumage. 



The tailor bird is ubiquitous in Ceylon, inhabiting the whole 

 Island, without regard to the natm-e of the locality, from the sea 

 coast to the highest part of the upper hills. It is widely distributed 

 through the low-country, being quite as common in the north and 

 east as it is in the south. In the Kandy District and throughout 

 the Central Province and about Nuwara Eliya it is not common. 



In India this little bird is a permanent resident throughout the 

 Empire, ascending the Himalayas and other hill ranges up to 4,000 

 feet of elevation. It is rather rare in Sind and portions of the 

 Piuijab, but it appears to be found in all parts of those Provinces. 

 In Burma its range ceases at Mergui, and extends into Siam and 

 China, but not to so great an altitude as in Ceylon. 



During the greater part of the year the male and female are alike 

 in outward appearance — the female differs but slightly from the 

 male, merely having the rufous on the head paler. The upper 

 plumage is greenish, with a dash of gold or chestnut on the head. 

 This last is set off by a neat black colour, visible only when the neck 

 is stretched. The lower parts of the bird are dull white, and are 

 thus lighter in colour than the back and wings. 



The male, durmg the breeding season, is a bird of very restless 

 habit, and when watched at that period quickly disappears into the 

 nearest thick foliage, and is most persistent in giving forth his sharp 

 " twike, twike," and the muscular action consequent on the display 

 of these vocal powers exposes the naked black skin at the side of the 

 throat, giving the appearance of a dark stripe at this part. The 

 two middle feathers of the cock bird grow to a greater length than 

 the others, and project 2 inches beyond them as sharp bristles. 

 The breeding season in the west and south of the Island lasts from 

 about February to November, during which period probably more 

 than one brood is reared. In the Central Province it commences 

 somewhat later, and in the north it is during the cool or north-east 

 monsoon. 



The tailor bird is interesting chiefly on account of the nest it 

 constructs, which is one of the most wonderful thmgs in Nature. 

 The nursery in which the young tailors are born is composed of one 

 or more leaves, which are sewn together by the parents. The bird's 

 beak is its needle. If the fruit of the silk cotton tree be ripe the 

 tailor bird extracts cotton from this and spins into thread with 

 beak and feet. The method of nest-building varies with the kind of 

 leaf. If it be a large one the sides are drawn together and stitched 

 to keep them in situ ; if no large-leafed plants are available in the 



