PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 77 



brown, the latter with pale tips, a sub-terminal bar of darker 

 brown, and bases of the same colour as the back ; wing coverts 

 and innermost wing quills edged with the hue of the back, the 

 primaries with narrow pale edges ; lores, cheeks, throat, and 

 lower parts whitish, tinged with yellow ; the flanks and sides 

 of the chest ashy-gray ; thighs rufous ; a concealed black 

 patch on either side of the throat. 



In the breeding season the male acquires an elongated tail, 

 the central pair of feathers being about 2 '5, while the next 

 pair are also longer than h\ the off season. 



Bill, flesh coloured, darker on the ridge ; iris reddish-yeUow ; 

 eyelid rufescent yellow ; legs reddish flesh colour. 



Length : Males out of breeding season about 4 • 3 ; wing 

 1*85 ; tail 2 ; tarsus '75 ; bill from gape '65. 



Females are slightly smaller and with shorter tails ; wing 

 1-7; tail 1-25. 



Distribution. — Found all over the Island from sea-level to 

 the summits of the hill ranges. Various sub-species occur 

 over the whole Indian Empire and extend into Siam and 

 China. 



Habits. — -Equally common in town gardens, open country, 

 or thick jungle. It is generally seen in pairs flitting about in 

 bushes or garden foliage. The birds make their presence 

 known at all times of the day b}'' their little grating " tewick, 

 tewick " but they are wonderfully unobtrusive, and will often 

 build, and bring up their 3'oung just outside one's verandah 

 without attracting any notice. They are particularly restless 

 when breeding. Their food is comprised mainly of small 

 insects. They may be found breeding almost throughout the 

 3'ear, except during long periods of dry weather. The nest is a 

 beautiful little structure of vegetable cotton, fine grass, or 

 other soft materials lodged in a pocket made bj- sewing 

 together the edges of one or two broad leaves. In Ceylon 

 there are usually only three, very occasionally four, eggs. 

 The ground colour is generally pale bluish-green, at times 

 almost -white or even pinkish, with fairly bold sjilashes of pale 

 brownish-red, chiefly at the larger end. Average size '63 

 bv -45. 



