626 
DEYM(ECA VAL ID A. 
that when he amasses a large enough series he will publish a monographic notice of them, determinin'^ once and 
tor 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.—lhis is one of the many species discovered by our indefatigable ornithological pioneer 
Layard ; he 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. ro’bmta 
was preoccupied by another species described by Dr. Riippell. 
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 iii 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 land near paddy-fields or semicultivatcd 
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 in 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 Morowak 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 j it is eommon 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 
afiordmg 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 impression of trying to proclaim their whereabouts to all their neighbours. AVhen 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 commeneed its eall 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 bimgalows 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 whicli start from that pretty spot. It often descends to the ground and feeds among -rass 
and when wounded I have seen it run with considerable facility. Its diet is purely insectivorous ; and Layard 
remarks that it hunts in small parties, and traverses the branches up and down in a similar manner to the 
lailor-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 Drymceca insularis will be found a figure of the present species 
taken from a male example shot in the Kalebokka district. Central Province. 
