PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 75 



Distribution. — A familiar migrant found during the north- 

 east monsoon over the whole of the low-country and in the 

 hills up to about 4,500 feet. It breeds on the Himalaj'as and 

 in Northern Asia, and occurs in winter over all India and most 

 of Burma. 



Habits. — 'Unlike the other members of the genus this species 

 avoids reeds, and is generally found skulking in thick bushes or 

 low bushy trees, hunting for the small insects on which it feeds. 

 On arrival in the Island it appears to remain with great regu- 

 larity in the quarters which it has taken up for the season. It 

 seldom appears in the open, but makes its presence known by 

 its note, a sudden " chik." Towards the end of its stay it 

 occasionally essays a slight warble, but its full song is developed 

 only in the breeding season and so is not heard in Ceylon. 



ElAPHRORNIS PALLISEKI. 



Palliser's Warbler. 



Elaphrornls ijulliseri (Oates, Vol. I., p. 191 ; Legge, p. 514). 



Description. — Upper plumage olive-brown with a rusty 

 tinge on the rump, upper tail coverts, and tail ; wings dark 

 brown, edged on the outer webs of the feathers with the hue 

 of the back ; the centre of the tail feathers rather darker than 

 the margins ; a faint whitish streak over the eye ; ear coverts 

 dusky-brown ; lores adjoining the gape whitish ; underneath 

 the eye dusky -brown ; chin whitish, deepening into rusty 

 bufE on the throat and gorget ; centre of abdomen yellowish ; 

 rest of lower parts slaty-olive, tinged with rufous on the 

 flanks, thighs, and under tail coverts. 



In young birds the chin is dusky -gray ; there is a slight 

 tinge of buff across the centre of the throat, while the breast 

 and lower parts are more greenish than in adults. 



Bill, black above, slate coloured beneath ; iris clear red in 

 males, buff in females ; legs and feet deep brown or purple - 

 brown. 



Length 6*5; wing 2 '4; tail 2 "6; tarsus 1; bill from 

 gape -8. 



