18/2.] MR. E. W. H. HOLDSWORTH ON CEYLONESE BIRDS. 455 



163. ACROCEPHALUS DXJMETORUM, Blyth. 



This is apparently the bird given by Layard as Phyllopneuste 



WIChYl f (1711/ 9 _Lj1v til 



Generally distributed ; it is a winter visitor and numerous in Ceylon 

 at that season. I have killed it at Aripo, Colombo, and Nuwara 

 Eliya. All my specimens have the greenish shade on the upper sur- 

 face mentioned by Blyth as found in the birds from Ceylon. 



Bill dusky above, pale flesh below ; irides brownish yellow ; feet 

 in different specimens pale brown to purplish flesh. 



Ceylon, India, Nepal, Assam. 



164. Orthotomus longicauda, Gmel. 



Common in all parts of the island, but especially frequenting 

 gardens and the neighbourhood of habitations. It is as abundant at 

 Nuwara Eliya as at Aripo or other parts of the low country. I have 

 examined many of these birds from different localities, and have found 

 them to agree in all respects with Jerdon's description of this species, 

 except in the length of the tail ; this in Ceylon birds I have never 

 found to exceed 2\ inches. 



Bill dusky flesh ; irides yellow ; feet flesh. 



Ceylon, India to Burmah, S. China. 



165. Prinia socialis, Sykes. 



Layard found this species in the extreme north ; and I believe Mr. 

 Legge discovered it nesting in a patch of Guinea grass close to his 

 house at Colombo. It will probably be found in suitable situations 

 in other parts of the island. 



Ceylon, S. India. 



166. Cisticola schcenicola, Bonap. 

 Cisticola homalura, Blyth ? 



I place these two species together as it is difficult to speak of them 

 separately, in consequence of the confusion existing between them, 

 if they are really distinct. Layard says of "C cursitans, Blyth" 

 (? = C. schcenicola, Bonap.) that it " is much less common than C. ho- 

 malura ; and though found in the same locality, it frequents trees and 

 iuno-le." This bird surely cannot be a Cisticola. Kelaart says of 

 C. cursitans :— " frequents the grass-plains ; very common at Trinco- 

 malie." I can confirm this statement and say precisely the same of 

 it at Colombo ; it is common there wherever there is a patch of long 



C. homalura was discovered by Layard in paddy-fields near Galle ; 

 he " subsequently found it sparingly about Colombo, and abundantly 

 in fields of gingelle {Sesamum orientale) at Pt. Pedro." Kelaart 

 says it " is found in great abundance on Horton Plains and Nuwera 

 Elba," these last localities resembling each other in being elevated 

 grass-plains surrounded by forest- jungle. _ 



I am almost ashamed to think of the number of specimens of Cis- 

 ticola I have shot at Nuwara Eliya in the hope of getting one of 



