however, for its food in small parties as it sometimes does in com- 

 pany with the little Wren Babbler, Alcippe nigrif rons, (Blytli) 

 it may be seen noiselessly hopping about the branches of low 

 jungle* or hunting among fallen leaves for insects. Again they 

 are sometimes very garrulous when holding a sort of parliament 

 which they carry on with a loud chattering, bowing to each 

 other with a puffing out of their long chest foatur es, and then 

 suddenly disappearing in all 1 directions uttering loud calls. 

 It is very active in its movements clinging sometimes like a 

 Tit to the under surface of a branch and scrutinising the bark 

 thereof, and occasionally I have observed : it attaching itself to 

 the trunks of trees, up which it proceeds by a succession of 

 hops. In the low country it.. moults- in June, July and August, 

 and therefore probably breeds, with many of the birds in this 

 Province, at.the beginning of the Si W. monsoon or latter end 

 of the dry season. Mr. Bligh of Kandy, who was fortunate 

 enough to find the nest of this species in some wild jungle in 

 the Hapootelle district, during the month of February, has been 

 kind enough to give me some information concerning it : it 

 was built in a hole in the side of a tree,, about 4 feet from the 

 ground, an& composed of stout grass stalks lined with the 

 fine roots of a species of moss together with some fine grass and 

 a few feathers. The eggs were 3 in number, rather oval in 

 shape and perfectly white with a transparent shell. 



Alcippe Nigrifrons (Blyth,) The Ceylon "Wren-Bab- 

 bler. 



There is some difference in the size of the sexes. Male, 

 total length 5-3;" tail 1*95 ;" wing 2-15." Female, length 5.1;" 

 tail 1*9;" wing 1*9.^ This Wren-babbler is common in the thick 

 jungle round Pore, and is also to be found nearer Colombo in 

 isolated spots of wood where there is much undergrowth. 

 It delights in places where deadleaves have fallen from;. 



