526 DETMCECA VALIDA. 



that when he amasses a large enough series he will publish a monographic notice of them, determining once and 

 for all which are and which are not good species. I regret to say that, owing to a want of Indian material, my 

 treatment of the Ceylon members of this genus must needs be very imperfect. 



Distribution. — This is one of the many species discovered by our indefatigable ornithological pioneer 

 Layard ; lie procured it in 1848, and on sending it to Blyth this naturalist named it primarily D. robusta, but 

 two years afterwards gave it its present title, the reason for this change of name being because D. robusta 

 was preoccupied by another species described by Dr. Ruppell. 



Layard does not seem to have become well acquainted with it, for he speaks of it as " rather a rare bird," 

 and as such it was likewise considered by Mr. Holdsworth. It is, however, a common bird, frequenting the 

 cinnamon-gardens in the environs of Colombo, and also every similar locality along the western sea-board ; in 

 the interior it is found by the sides of roads and in low scrubby laud near paddy-fields or semicultivated 

 native gardens. In the south-west it is of frequent occurrence. In the eastern portion of the island, from 

 Hambantota round the coast to the Trincomalie district, it is usually found iu jungle clearings in which low 

 bushes have sprung up ; and these are, in fact, its favourite localities throughout the wilder northern half of 

 Ceylon. In the hilly districts of the Moi-owak and Kukkul Korales it is fond of kurrakan-fields, and in the 

 Central Province may usually be seen in the hill paddy and among the long grass of the patnas. In the 

 western portion of the hill-zone I have not detected it above 3000 feet ; it is common at a higher altitude 

 between Badulla and Haputale, where the vast stretch of patna-hills affords a considerable tract of country 

 suitable to its habits and nature. 



Habits. — As will be gathered from my remarks on its distribution, this species delights in any situation 

 affording the cover which it frequents, such as low grassy jungle, open scrub, brambly wastes, the borders of 

 paddy-fields, rank patna vegetation, the sides of roads through jungle and deserted forest clearings, or rude 

 cultivation near jungle-begirt tanks. It passes most of its time near the ground, searching in thick grass and 

 undergrowth for insects, often flying up to the top of the bush which has afforded it shelter ; here it sits 

 motionless for some little time, and commences suddenly to reiterate its loud clear call. It is particularly noisy 

 in the afternoons, and is able, in the stillness of the evening, to make itself heard at no little distance as it 

 sits on the top of a fence or dead stump in a solitary jungle clearing. It has but little pretension to the name 

 of Warbler ; but there are perhaps few birds which endeavour to make themselves heard more than it, or which 

 give one the impressiou of trying to proclaim their whereabouts to all their neighbours. When it desires to 

 give out the singular ringing note of which it is possessed, it invariably mounts to the very top of a bush, and 

 having commenced its call continues lustily with it until disturbed, when it often remounts to an adjacent 

 shrub and prolongs its evening salutation. It is equally noisy throughout the year ; and I have no doubt its 

 notes are well known to most of the residents in the handsome bungalows now adorning the cinnamon-gardens 

 of Colombo, as well as familiar to those who take an afternoon's drive round the " Circular," or on the many 

 radiating roads which start from that pretty spot. It often descends to the ground and feeds among grass, 

 and when wounded I have seen it run with considerable facility. Its diet is purely insectivorous j and Layard 

 remarks that it hunts in small parties, and traverses the branches up and down in a similar manner to the 

 Tailor -bird. I have usually seen it solitary, and it is rare to see more than two or three together. 



In the Plate accompanying the article on Drymocca insularis will be found a figure of the present species, 

 taken from a male example shot in the Kalebokka district, Central Province. 



