148 SPOLTA ZEYLANTCA. 



Males ill off season and females all the year round : The 

 yellow is absent, the upper plumage being dark brown with 

 fulvous margins ; a fulvous streak over the eye ; sides of head 

 pale fulvous brown ; lower parts pale fulvous, darker on the 

 breast and flanks, and almost white on the abdomen, vent, 

 and lower tail coverts ; the sides of the breast and the flanks 

 at times have narrow brown streaks ; wings and tail as in 

 breeding male. 



Bill, of male in breeding season, dark horny-brown, lighter 

 at the gape and base of the lower mandible, otherwise yellowish 

 horn-colour ; iris brown ; legs and feet flesh-colour. 



Length 5 • 85 ; wing 2 • 85 ; tail 1 • 9 ; tarsus • 8 ; bill from 

 gape • 65. 



Distribution. — P. passeriyius occurs over the whole of the 

 Indian Empire, and ranges south-east to Java and Sumatra. 

 The present sub-species is found over the greater part of 

 India proper. In Ceylon it is met with throughout the 

 low-country, but is perhaps commoner in the maritime 

 districts than inland. It is local and occasionally shifts its 

 quarters. 



Habits. — Occurs in flocks on the borders of open land and 

 scrub jungle, generally not far from water, and frequently 

 by the side of a paddy field or tank. The presence of a 

 flock can always be told by the incessant chattering and 

 shrill whistling made by the birds. They have a strong 

 rapid flight and feed voraciously on paddy and other grain 

 The breeding season appears to be intermittent, and extends 

 over a great part of the year, probably varying in different 

 localities. I have taken eggs in February, June, August, 

 and November. The birds breed in colonies, the long flask- 

 like nest, famfliar to most people, being hung from the fronds 

 of a palm or the spreading branches of a tree. The con- 

 struction shows great skill. The upper part of the nest is 

 cone-shaped and hangs from a single point. When this cone 

 is woven to a sufficient length, the birds add a strong trans- 

 verse loop, like an inverted basket handle, a little to one side 

 of the centre. The bottom of the egg chamber is then worked 

 in on one side of the loop, whfle on the other the weaving is 

 carried downwards to form the long entrance funnel, which 



