PHYLLOSCOPINjE. . 189 



Gen. Phyllopneuste, Meyer. 



Char. — Bill straight, moderately slender, slightly widened at 

 the base, entire ; a few small rictal bristles ; wings moderate, 

 pointed, the 1st quill small, 2nd very little shorter than the third 

 and 4th, which are longest, 5th nearly equal to it ; tail moderate, 

 even, or slightly rounded ; feet moderate ; claws long ; hind 

 toe short. 



This genus, as restricted, barely differs from Pliylloscopus by its 

 somewhat thicker bill, stouter form, and' shorter 1st primary. 



553. Phyllopneuste rama, Sykes. 



Sylvia, apud Sykes, Cat. 77 — Jerdon, Cat. 124 — Blyth, Cat. 

 1088— Hoesf., Cat. 524— Adams, P. Z. S., 1858, p. 487, No, 

 126 — Chinna-kumpa-jitta, Tel. 



Sykes' Warbler. 



Descr. — Above uniform light greyish brown ; below pale or albes- 

 cent, passing into white on the chin, middle of the belly and vent ; 

 lores, continued as a slight streak passing over the eye, and the 

 orbital feathers, pale. 



Bill dusky above, fleshy below at base ; legs light brown ; irides 

 dark. Length 5 inches ; extent 7| ; wing 1\ ; tail 2 ; bill at front 

 T ^ ; tarsus f ; 1st primary about \ inch ; 2nd equal to 7th ; 3rd, 4th 

 and 5th nearly equal and longest. 



The coloring of this bird, as Mr. Blyth says, approximates it to 

 the Acrocephalns group, but the form of the wings and tail differ, 

 I follow Mr. Blyth in referring the present bird to Phyllopneuste 

 of Meyer, the type of which is given by Gray as the Sylvia 

 hippolais of Europe ; but it appears to me to differ somewhat. 

 The former Naturalist remarks that " there appear to be two races 

 of this bird, differing a little in shade of color, but in no other 

 particulars that we can discern." Those from Southern India are 

 more rufous, those from the North more grey in their tints. 



Sykes' Warbler is found all through India, frequenting low 

 jungles, groves, hedges, gardens and trees near villages, and also 

 am ono- fields. It is lively and active, hopping about the branches, 

 and capturing various insects, occasionally on the wing, but gene- 

 rally on the leaves or branches. It has a rather harsh chuckling 



