PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 85 



keeps to the upper branches of trees. In its ways it resembles 

 the Flycatchers, and its call is a whistle of three notes, which 

 also rather resembles that of Tickell's Flycatcher. 



Prinia socialis socialis. 



The Ashy Wren Warbler. 



Prima socialis (Gates, Vol. T., ]). 450; Legge, p. 520); Prinia 

 brevicauda (Legge, p. 1216). 



Description. — Upper plumage, including the head to just 

 below the eyes dark bluish ash colour ; wings and tail umber- 

 brown, the tail feathers are slightly cross-rayed and have 

 whitish tips and sub-terminal black patches seen most plainly 

 on the under side ; wing coverts umber -brown, more or less 

 washed with the hue of the back ; lower parts and edge of the 

 wing rusty-buff, the centre of the breast and throat almost 

 white, the thighs and flanks darker. 



In the off season there is no great difference. The hue of 

 the back is a little more brown, the wing coverts less tinged 

 with ashy, and the tail about '3 inch longer. According 

 to Legge, females have a more or less distinct streak of buff 

 just above the lores and are paler underneath. 



Bill black ; iris pale red or brownish-yellow ; legs and feet 

 fleshy-red. 



Dimensions a little variable. Length in breeding season 

 about 4- 75 ; wing 1 • 85 ; tail 1*8; tarsus • 75 ; bill from gape 

 • 6 ; in winter the tail measures up to 2 • 1. 



Distribution. — Fairly widely distributed over the Island, 

 but nowhere very numerous. The species divided into various 

 geographical races is found almost throughout India proper. 



Habits. — This Wren "Warbler is a permanent resident in 

 the long mana grass of the patanas in Uva and elsewhere. In 

 the low-country it wanders about a good deal, visiting fields 

 of guinea grass when they are in growth and disappearing when 

 they are cut. It is more permanent in the long grass round 

 tanks and paddy fields and on the edges of jungle. The flight 

 is feeble, but the birds are very active in threading their way 

 through long grass stalks. The note is a feeble little warble. 

 I have found the eggs in Uva in June and in the Puttalam 



