PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 87 



its much darker colour and smaller seasonal change. It is 

 found over most of the low-country and up to about 3,000 feet, 

 but on the Uva patanas it ascends to considerably higher 

 elevations. 



Habits. — -A common species in low grassy jungles, in scrub 

 by the sides of roads and paddy fields or in young chena 

 growth, patanas, fern lands, &c. The note is a fairly loud 

 chir]}. The diet is insectivorous. The breeding season lasts 

 from October to June. The nest is a woven ball of grass, Avith 

 the opening at one side, and is ^ilaced low down in coarse grass 

 or a thorny bush. Three or occasionally four eggs are laid. 

 The ground colour is of fairly glossy pinkish- white, finely 

 freckled all over with pale red. These markings often concen- 

 trate into a more pronounced zone or cap at the large end. I 

 have seen two abnormal clutches and one egg of a normal 

 clutch, in which the ground colour was clear white and the red 

 frecldes very faint and few. Average size '71 by • 51. 



Prinia inornata jerdoni. 



The Southern Wren Warbler. 



Prinia jerdoni (Oates, Vol. I., p. 453) ; Drymmca insulari.'^ 

 (Legge, p. 529). 



Description. — -Upper plumage dull earthy-brown, the centre 

 of the feathers slightly darker ; forehead and forepart of 

 crown tinged with rufous ; rump much paler ; wing and tail 

 feathers brown with pale fulvous edges ; the central tail 

 feathers cross-rayed faintly ; tips of tail feathers white with 

 a sub-terminal black spot, which shows most plainly on the 

 under side ; a pale streak from the nostrils over the eye and a 

 narrow white ring round the eye ; lores at the corner of the 

 eye brownish ; lower plumage pale buff ; the sides of the 

 chest and belly more strongly coloured ; flanks with a dusky 

 tinge ; thighs rusty-brown. 



There is very little difference either in the plumage or in the 

 length of the tail in the off season, though, on the whole, the 

 plumage is slightly darker then. The seasonal change is far 

 more marked in North Indian forms. 



Bill black, the basal half of the lower mandible pale horny ; 

 iris pale reddish or reddish-yellow ; legs and feet fleshy-pink. 



