MUMA MALABAEICA. 
663 
outer web ; rump and upper tail-coverts white, the bases of the feathers brown, and the outer webs of the longer 
coverts blacHsh brown ; a narrow supercilium, face, ear-coverts, and all beneath white, shaded on the flanks with 
brownish grey or fawn-colour. 
In some examples the lower flanks are very faintly barred with pale fawn-colour; some are darker than others above. 
Ohs. Some Indian examples show a greater tendency to barring on the flanks ; notably one from Behar. As regards size : 
a skin from Madras measures 2-15 inches ; another from N.W. Himalayas 2’2 ; one from Behar 2-1, tail 1-9 (this 
example is darker on the head than my birds ; the two others are very pale on the back). Mr. Cripps, in his paper 
on the avifauna of I’urreedpore, gives the following measurements : — S , length 4' 83 inches; expanse 6‘8; wing 2-1 ; 
tail from vent 1'92 ; tarsus 0'66 ; bill from gape 0-42 ; weight 0'66 oz. The specimen from X.W. Himalayas, 
collected by Capt. Pmwell, has the fulvous of the lower flanks quite unmarked. 
Distribution. This is essentially a bird of the dry climate of Ceylon ; wherever the little Finch-Lark 
{Pyrrhulauda grisea) is to be found the Plain Brown Munia is likely to be met with. Its distribution is there- 
fore local, and it is chiefly confined to open districts in the maritime regions of the north, east, and south- 
east. It is found around the west coast as far as the Chilaw district ; but south of this place, where the 
heavier rainfall line is passed, its range does not extend ; and I have never seen it anywhere between that 
point and Tangalla : here the dry coast-region is again entered upon, and it becomes tolerably common. I 
have met with it in various parts of the eastern side, and at Trincomalie it is not uncommon. It is numerous, 
according to Mr. Holdsworth, at Aripu ; and I have seen it there and at Manaar and further up the coast, 
while at Jaffna and the islands it is common. In the interior of the northern forest tract it may be met with 
in suitable localities ; but I do not know that it extends into the hills at all. 
In India it is a bird of wide distribution both in the peninsula and in the northern parts, being abundant in 
the hot dry regions of the west, but not extending to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal. According to Jerdon, 
flanks, and under tail-coverts black, washed, except on the latter, with crimson ; tail black, the two outer feathers 
on each side tipped white. 
After the breeding-season the male assumes the plumage of the female. 
An example shot in January at Colombo has the forehead and supercilia red, and the feathers of the hind neck and 
back tipped with crimson ; upper tail-coverts crimson, some of the feathers with small white spots ; chest and 
throat crimson, mingled with partially white feathers, and the breast blackish, washed with crimson, and barred 
and otherwise marked with white ; the flanks and sides of breast spotted with white. 
Another, probably a bird of the year, has the supereilia and upper tail-coverts as the above, but the lower back and 
hind neck uniform olive-brown ; the under surface chiefly white ; the feathers of the fore neck in various stages 
of change to red, those of the breast turning black ; the under tail-covert feathers changing from white to black. 
Both these examples are assuming the breedmg-dress by a change of feather, and not hy a moult. Jerdon remarks 
that this species moults twice a year. 
Female. Similar in size to the male. 
Brown above, the orbital fringe white, as in the male, and the lores black ; the rump and upper tail-coverts washed 
with crimson ; beneath brownish, tinged with fulvous yellow on the lower parts. 
Young. “ Brovm above, paler beneath, whitish on the throat and belly ; tail blackish, and a few small white spots on 
the wings ” {Jerdon). 
Distribution . — In 1870, when I detected this little bird in the vicinity of Colombo, I was under the impression, as it 
had not been before noticed in Ceylon, that it owed its visit to the island to the agency of man — in short, that it had been 
liberated from ships calling at the port. I have since become aware that it wanders about a good deal in India, appearing 
■ suddenly in districts, remaining for some time, and then departing ; and as it occurs in the south of the peninsula it is 
possible that it may have been driven down to Ceylon by the north-west wind which had been blowing before I first 
discovered it in January 1870. I have no evidence in support of either theory, and therefore I adopt that which appears 
