PRINIA. 453 



tail rufous-brown, indistinctly cross-rayed and margined with 

 brighter rufous ; lores, a supercilium to just past the eye, the sides 

 of the head, and the whole lowef plumage pale buff, the thighs con- 

 spicuously darker ; lower aspect of tail pale rufous with paler tips 

 and very indistinct, or obsolete, subterminal brown patches. 



The young resemble the adults in winter plumage, but are more 

 rufous above and of a brighter buff below ; the tail is faintly 

 tipped with rufous, but there are no traces of subtenniual bars. 



Specimens from Manipur resemble P. inornata in having the 

 bills black in summer and brown in winter plumage, and in the 

 character of the tail-marks, but the whole tone of the winter plu- 

 mage is very tawny. A Bhamo specimen is nearer to P. inornata 

 than to P. blanfordi. 



In summer the bill is black ; iris yellowish brown ; legs and feet 

 flesh-colour (Butler}. 



In winter the bill is brown, pale horuy fleshy at the base of 

 the lower mandible ; legs and feet fleshy-pink, the ifeet tinged brown- 

 ish ; iris bright yellow (Hume). 



In winter, length up to 6*5, tail up to 3'5 ; in summer, length up 

 to about 5-3, tail up to 2-3 ; wing 2 ; tarsus *8 : bill from gape '6. 



Distribution. Distributed as a permanent resident throughout the 

 whole of India from the Himalayas to the Nilgiri hills. At Nadu- 

 vatam on the Xilgiris this and the next species are found together 

 and both are typical in coloration and length of tail. P. inornata 

 extends to the East as far as Manipur, and a Bhamo specimen is 

 very close to this species, but the exact range of this and P. blanfordi 

 can only be determined with absolute accuracy by summer-killed 

 specimens. Blyth records P. inornata from Arrakan. 



Habits, 6fc. Breeds throughout the rains, constructing a deep purse- 

 like nest composed entirely of fine grass and attached to some 

 stems of grass. The eggs, generally four in number, are greenish 

 blue, spotted, speckled, and blotched with chocolate and red, in 

 addition to which marks there are usually some delicate interwoven 

 lines of the same colours. They measure '61 by '45. 



467. Prinia jerdoni. The Southern Wren- Warbler, 



Drymoica jerdoni, Zta/^, J. A. S. B. xvi, p. 459 (1847) j id. Cat. p. 142 ; 



Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 180. 



Drymoipus jerdoni (Blyth}, Hume, S. F. i, p. 437. 

 Drymoipus fuscus (Hodys.\ Hun.e, N. 8f E. p. 348. 

 Drymceca inornata (Sykes), apud Fairbank, S. F. v, p. 406. 

 Drymoeca insularis, Legye, Birds Ceyl p. 529, pi. xxv (1879) j Parker, 



S. F. ix, p. 480. 



Drymoeca jerdoni (Blyth), Hume, Cat. no. 544 ter. 

 Drymoeca inornata (Sykes), Davison, S. .F.x,p. 393. 

 Prinia jerdoni (Blyth), Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. i, p. 304. 



Coloration. Eeserables P. inornata. Differs in having the sub- 

 terminal spots on the tail large, dark brown, and distinct, and the 

 whitish tips very sharply defined ; the tail in winter is shorter, not 

 exceeding the length of the tail of P. inornata in summer ; the 

 upper plumage is much darker and less rufous in the winter. 



