378 SYLVIUS. 



from F. gracilis by its much stronger bill, which, moreover, never 

 turns black in the summer. 



Distribution. Throughout the lower ranges of the Himalayas 

 from Kiunaun to Upper Assam, and southwards from the latter 

 Province through Burma to the extreme end of Tenasserim. 



Habits, fyc. Frequents the outskirts of forests or well-wooded 

 parts of the country. Breeds during the monsoon, commencing 

 in May. The nest, made of fine grass, is placed in the cavity 

 formed by stitching together the two edges of a soft leaf of a tree 

 or shrub. The eggs, three in number, are glossy pale blue, speckled 

 with reddish brown, and measure '61 by '45. 



384. Franklinia buchanani. The Rufous-fronted Wren- Warbler. 



Prinia buchanani, Blytli, J. A. S. B. xiii, p. 376 (1844). 



Drymoica buchanani, Blyth, Cat. p. 143. 



Franklinia huchanani (Blytli), JercL B. I. ii, p. 186 ; Hume, N. 8f E. 

 p. 358 j Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 241 ; Hume, S. F. i, 

 p. 195 ; Adam, S. F. i, p. 382 ; Butler, S. F. iii, p. 486 ; Hume, 

 Cat. no. 551 ; Reid, S. F. x, p. 47 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 223 ; 

 id. Journ. Bom. N. H. Soc. 1886, p. 51 ; Gates in Hume's N. 8f E. 

 2nd ed. i, p. 243. 



Cisticola buchanani (BlytJi), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 246. 



Coloration. At all seasons of the year the upper plumage and 

 the sides of the neck reddish brown, brightest on the forehead and 

 crown ; wings and coverts with broad edges of the same ; tail 

 brown, faintly cross-barred, all the feathers except the middle 

 pair broadly tipped white and subterminally darker ; lores and a 

 supercilium white; ear- coverts and under the eye whitish; lower 

 plumage white, the flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts tinged with 

 fulvous; thighs ferruginous. 



Iris light brown to orange-red ; upper mandible dusky, lower 

 pale fleshy ; legs and feet pale fleshy brown. 



Wing 2*1 ; tarsus '7 ; bill *6 ; total length in summer about 5, 

 tail 2'3 ; total length in winter 5*5, tail 2'7. 



Although this bird has two complete moults a year there is no 

 change in the colour of the plumage in summer and winter, nor 

 does the bill become black in summer. 



Distribution. Throughout Sind, Rajputana, the lower part of the 

 Punjab, the North-western Provinces, Central India, and the 

 Central Provinces, extending to the east as far as Lohardugga. 

 Jerdon states that this bird is found throughout the Carnatic and 

 the tableland of Southern India, and there are three specimens 

 in the British Museum labelled Madras. I have seen no recently 

 collected specimens from any place south of the latitude of 

 Ahmednagar. 



Habits, 6fc. Found commonly in small troops in open country. 

 Breeds from May to September, constructing a nest of grass and 

 vegetable fibre of various shapes, sometimes like a purse or a cup, 

 at other times globular. It is built in a low bush as a rule. The 



