38. 
DRY M AECA VALIDA 
(THE ROBUST WREN WARBLER) 
ADULT MALE'AND FEMALE 
Length 6 to 6.4 Inches; wing 2.3 to 2.5; tail varies much 2.4 to 2.8; tar¬ 
sus ,U5; middle toe and claw .5 to-.7; bill to gape .5. to .75. 
DISTRIBUTION 
This is one of many species discovered by our Indefatigable ornithorlogi - 
cal 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 ©.Ro¬ 
busta ns pre-occupied by another species described by Dr Ruppell. 
Layard does not seem to have become well acquainted with it, for he speate 
of it as "rather a rare bird", and as such it was considered by Mr Holds- 
wor th* 
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 
land near paddy fields or semi-cultivated native gardens. In the South-west 
it is of frequent occurrence. 
In the Eastern portion of the island, from Hambantotte round the coast to 
the Trlncomalie 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 parts of Ceylon. 
In the hilly districts of the Morowak and Kukkul Morales it is fond of 
kurrakah fields, and in the Central Province may usually be seen in the hill 
paddy, and among the long grass of the patinas. In the Western portion of 
the hill zone I have hot detected it above 3000 feet; it is common at a high¬ 
er altitude between "Bad til la and Haputale, where the vast stretch of patina 
hills affords a conslderabe tract of cquntry suitable to its habits and na¬ 
ture. 
HABITS 
As will be gathered from my remarks on its distribution, this species de¬ 
lights in-any_ situation af fording the cover which it frequents, such as low 
grassy jungle, open scrub, brambly wastes, the borders of paddy fields., rank 
patina vegetation, the sides of roads through jungle and deserted forest 
clearings, or rude cultivation near jungle begirt tanks. 
