86 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



District from December to March. The nest is said occasion- 

 ally to resemble that of the Tailor Bird, but is generally a neat 

 little doomed structure of grass with the opening at one side. 

 It is placed not far from the ground among tall grass stems, 

 to which the outer wall is laced. The three eggs are of a glossy 

 mahogany-red, the colour being deeper at the large end. 

 Average size '63 I)}' -47. 



PrINIA SYLVATK'A bobusta. 

 The Jungle Wren Warhler. 



Prinia syivatka (Oates, Vol. 1.,^. 451) ; D7-i/7nceca valkla (Legge, 

 p. 525) ; Drymoeca jerdoni (Legge, p. 527). 



DescrifUon. — Upper plumage dusky-brown with an ashy 

 tinge on the sides of the neck ; the margins of the wing and 

 tail feathers a little brighter ; the tail feathers have a whitish 

 tip and a sub-terminal black spot, these marks sho^^' more 

 plainly on the under surface, and are almost absent in the 

 central pair ; the whole tail is faintly cross-rayed ; a whitish 

 streak on the lores ; cheeks brownish, blending into the pale 

 buff of the chin and throat ; the buff tinge is a little deeper 

 on the chest and flanks ; abdomen whitish ; thighs and lower 

 tail coverts pale fulvous brownish. 



In Ceylon the seasonal change appears to be much less 

 marked than in the North Indian races, in which the bill 

 becomes paler, the plumage brighter, and the tail distinctly 

 longer than in summer. Mr. Stuart Baker suggests that the 

 smaller seasonal change many be due to the extended breeding 

 season in Ceylon ; our birds moulting at different times, 

 whenever they happen to have finished breeding. The only 

 difference I can find is that some specimens have paler bills 

 than others. These are Legge's Drymoeca jerdoni, and are 

 probably either j^oung birds or specimens in the off season. 



Bill black, at times bi'ownish, with a paler lower mandible ; 

 iris hazel ; legs and feet fleshy. 



Dimensions a little variable : length 6 to 6 • 4 ; wing 2*2 to 

 2-5 ; tail 2- 4-2-8 ; tarsus -8 ; bill from gape '73. 



Distrihvtion. — The Jungle Wren Warbler is found almost 

 throughout India proper west of Calcutta. It is divided into 

 several sub-species, the Ceylon form being distinguished by 



