364 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
open situations, such as the grass growing on the banks of a frequented 
stream where every boat that passes almost touches the nest. The eggs 
are either two or three in number and they vary very much in colour : 
some are white ; others are greenish white, grey or purplish ; and while 
some are unmarked, the majority are speckled with grey, greenish brown 
or neutral tint. 
Genus AMADINA, Swains. 
341, AMADINA ACUTICAUDA, 
HODGSON^S MUNIA. 
Munia acuticauda, Hodgs. As. Res. xix. p. 153 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 356 ; Hume, 
Nests and Eggs, p. 450 ; Bl. ^ Wald. B. Burm. p. 93 • JDavid et Oust. Ois. Chine, 
p. 343. Amadina acuticauda, Hume, S. F. viii. p. 107 ; 8eully, S. F. viii. 
p. 333. 
Description. — Male and female. Rump white; upper plumage deep 
brown, the shafts of all the feathers, except those of the forehead, whitish ; 
wing very dark brown ; tail nearly black ; cheeks, chin and throat black ; 
ear-coverts fulvous, with lighter centres to the feathers ; breast and sides 
of the neck dark brown, the feathers pale-shafted and with fulvous edgings; 
abdomen and sides white, with indistinct arrowhead-shaped marks of 
brown ; flanks and under tail-coverts fulvous, mottled with fulvous-white 
and the shafts pale ; under wing-coverts buff. 
Upper mandible blackish, the lower one plumbeous; iris dark brown; 
legs plumbeous ; claws horny. 
Length 4*5 inches, tail 1*8, wing 2, tarsus '55, bill '4. The female is 
of about the same size. 
Hodgson''s Munia is a comparatively rare bird in Burmah. Mr. Blyth 
records it from Arrakan. I have found it in various parts of Pegu in pairs 
or singly, and it appears to be a constant resident. Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay 
met with it on the Tonghoo hills, and Mr. Davison procured it in all parts 
of Tenasserim except on the higher hills. 
This Munia extends down the Malay peninsula as far as Singapore, and it 
is found in Cochin China, Siam and throughout Southern China. It ranges 
through the Indo-Burmese countries into the Himalayas, where it occurs as 
far as Nipal. 
This bird is found in pairs through the summer and in small flocks in 
winter. They frequent well-wooded localities and feed on minute seeds. 
The nest is placed in shrubs and small trees and is a large globular structure 
made of grass. The eggs, which are five or six in number, are white. 
