68 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



■ Distribution. — This Drongo is widely distributed over the 

 greater part of India. It ranges eastwards into Hainan, 

 and south-east through the Malay Peninsula to Java and 

 Borneo. It is divided into a number of sub-species, the 

 Ceylon form being distinguished by its small size, its com- 

 paratively short crest and shorter tail. It replaces the Ceylon 

 Black Drongo in the drier forest tracts, especially in the 

 north and east of the Island, but it is nowhere very abundant. 

 It does not appear to ascend the hills above about 2,000 feet. 



Habits. — Like the preceding species, this is a forest bird, 

 and has much the same habits. Its notes are varied, and it 

 is an expert imitator of many other birds. In addition, 

 it has a beautiful clear tinkling call, which is generally heard 

 in the early morning. Like most Drongos, it appears to have 

 an inveterate hatred of Owls and Woodpeckers. lb is generally 

 met with in pairs or in small parties of four or five. The breed- 

 ing season is from March to May. Three nests, of which 

 I have data, were all found in roadside trees, where the road 

 passed through heavy jungle. They were placed in slender 

 forks at a considerable height from the ground, and resembled 

 larger editions of the nest of D. leucopygialis, but were more 

 loosely woven and not so tightly jammed into the fork. There 

 are usually three eggs. They are broad ovals slightly pointed 

 at one end. The ground colour is pinkish-white with a 

 moderate amount of reddish-pink markings overlying more 

 cloudy marks of grayish -purple. All the markings are 

 inclined to be streakj , and are most numerous round the cap. 

 Average size 1 '06 by '81. 



Family Sylvud^e. 



Warblers. 



The Warbler family contains a very large number of species, 

 found chiefly in the temperate and warm regions of the Old 

 World. They are all of small size, and nearly all of plain 

 appearance. The plumage of the nestling resembles that of 

 the adult female, but is brighter. The nostrils are clear of the 

 line of the forehead, the edges of both mandibles are smooth, 

 or at times the upper mandible has a simple notch. The 



