DRYMOICIN^. 171 



manner as Orthotomus longicauda." I have found the nest on 

 several occasions, and verified Col. Sykes' observations, but it is not 

 so neatly sewn together as the nest of the true Tailor-bird, and 

 there is generally more grass and other vegetable fibres used in 

 the construction. The eggs are usually reddish white, with nu- 

 merous darker red dots at the large end, often coalescing, and 

 sometimes the eggs are uniform brick-red throughout. 



535. Prinia Stewarti, Blyth. 



J. A. S., XIV., 455— Blyth, Cat. 812— Kala-phutM, H. 



Stewart's Wren- Warbler. 



Descr. — Above dark ashy, brown on the wings, and rufescent on 

 the tail, with a faint subterminal dark band (as seen from above) ; 

 throat white ; the rest of the body beneath pale rufescent, darker 

 on the flanks, and rusty on the vent and under tail-coverts. 



Bill black ; legs deep yellow ; irides buff. Length 5 T 2 y inches ; 

 wing 1 t 8 q ; tail 2f ; bill at front not T -g ; tarsus f . 



Mr. Blyth got some specimens of this bird from Agra, and 

 at first considered them distinct from P. socialis, to which 

 it is certainly very closely allied. He has since been inclined 

 to consider them the same, but having observed this bird, and 

 obtained specimens at Mhow, in Central India, I am fully 

 convinced of its specific difference. It has a considerably smaller 

 and lighter body, when seen fresh, than socialis, and probably 

 would not weigh much more than half of the latter bird ; the tail 

 is proportionally longer, the dark tip more diffused and less de- 

 fined, and the vent and under tail-coverts are decidedly darker 

 than in the other, as indeed are the whole colors of the bird ; the 

 bill is smaller and feebler, and the feet are smaller. Its geographi- 

 cal distribution too is against the identity. 



This species ranges from the Nerbudda northwards through 

 Central India to Agra and the N. W. Provinces; but does not 

 extend far eastwards, I think, as I did not see it at Saugor. At 

 Mhow I found it frequenting gardens and hedges, hunting 

 among peas and other vegetables ; and, like the rest of the tribe, 

 occasionally descending to the ground for its food, which consisted 

 of ants and other small insects. 



