THE TAILOR BIRD. 57 



growing a,bout small periodical water-courses. When disturbed, it rises almost perpendicularly, 

 descending nearly as abruptly, and either burying itself at once in the rank vegetation, ov first perch- 

 ing on a grass stalk, and gradually creeping out of view, and also out of reach, for it is difficult 

 to flush it again. The food of this little bird consists of small insects." The Fantail Warbler measures 

 four inches in length. The top of the head and interscapulars are umber-brown, variegated with yel- 

 lowish-brown ; back of neck, back, and shoulders, clear yellowish-brown, with umber-brown streaks ; 



TAILOR BIRD. 



rump, umber-brown ; chin and throat, whitish ; breast, belly, and vent, sienna-yellow ; tail, moderately 

 long, and slightly graduated ; two middle feathers, broccoli-brown, margined and tipped with wood- 

 brown ; the other feathers brownish-red, broadly tipped with white, with a large umber-brown blotch 

 just before the white, seen, as in all species, most plainly on the inner side; eyes light brown. 



THE TAILOR BIRD (Orthotomus* sutorius). 



This is a well-known Asiatic bird, occurring throughout the whole of the Indian Peninsula, the 

 Burmese countries, and China. t It is most common in well-wooded districts, frequenting gardens, hedge- 

 rows, orchards, low jungle, and even now and then the more open parts of high-tree jungles. It is 

 usually found in pairs, at times in small flocks, incessantly hopping about the branches of trees, shrubs, 



* op0o?, straight; TO/UOJ (re^u), cutting. f Jerdon, " Birds of India," Vol. II., p. 166. 



