480 NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF MOUNT ABOO 



ing | inch longer in the body. I have mentioned the white 

 superciliary line of the specimen referred to above, as it is not 

 mentioned in Jerdon's description, and not having observed it 

 before I am anxious to ascertain whether it is constant or 

 not. I saw a nest of this species in July fixed to the outside 

 of a Euphorbia hedge. It was a bottle-shaped neatly built 

 structure composed chiefly of silky vegetable down with a 

 small entrance near the top on one side. I saw the old 

 birds working at it several times, but unfortunately a heavy 

 shower of rain washed it away before the eggs were laid. It 

 reminded me more of the nest of Cisticola schcenicola than any 

 other, except, as I said before, that the entrance was upon one 

 side. 



[The Aboo specimens, of which I have several, may fairly be class- 

 ed as socialis, although rather smaller than typical specimens from 

 further south. The plains specimens are doubtless the smaller 

 northern race P. Steward, which occurs, though it seems nowhere 

 common in any locality, in Jodhpoor and Kattiawar. I have 

 obtained it even at Sambhur, though Mr. Adam does not include 

 it in his list. As regards the race, with the very conspicuous whitish 

 line above the lores, which Captain Butler has sent me a speci- 

 men, I have not at hand a sufficient number of true Steward 

 to decide upon the value of this character. Two, that I have 

 examined, exhibit only a trace of this line. — A. 0. H.] 



536.— Prinia gracilis, Frankl. 



Franklin's Wren Warbler occurs sparingly at Mount Aboo, 

 but I have not met with it in the plains. 



[A species often overlooked, which may account for our 

 having no record as yet of its occurrence anywhere within 

 the whole region, except in Cutch, whence I have specimens 

 obtained by Stoliczka. — A. 0. H.] 



538.— Prinia Hodgsoni, Blyth. 



The Malabar Wren Warbler occurs sparingly on the hills and 

 in the plains. It is readily distinguished from any of the other 

 members of this family by its much smaller size and by the 

 conspicuous ashy slate pectoral band. It breeds in the plains 

 during the rains as proved by dissection, but hitherto I have 

 not succeeded in finding a nest. 



[Does not belong properly to the region we are treating of. 

 It occurs at Aboo, and in the plains south-westward, but is as yet 

 unknown in Sindh, Cutch, Kattiawar, and the greater part of 

 Jodhpoor though it is not uncommon in the hills near Koocha- 

 wun, which like the Girnar (and Gir) in Kattiawar (where 

 1 dare say it will also be found to occur,) are close represen- 



