39. 
DRY M AE C A INSULAR IS 
(THE WHITE BROWED WREN WARBLER) 
ADULT MALE AND FEMALE 
Length 4.0 to 5.4 Inches; wing 1.85 to 2.15; tail 2.1 to 2.5; tarsus .8 
to-.9; hind toe and claw .58 to .61; bill to gape .65 to .68. 
DISTRIBUTION 
This sprightly little bird Is widely distributed throughout the low coun¬ 
try, as well as an inhabitant of the Kandyan and Southern Province hills up 
to an altitude of about 5000 feet. At this height it is to be found on 
patinas in Uva, Haputale, and the slopes of Northern Saffragarn, in which I 
Include the sides of the ranges from Haldamulla round to Ratnapura; it also 
affects grassy spots and paddy and hill grain fields in most of the upland 
valleys in the Central Province. 
In the Western Province it inhabits the Guinea and Mauritius grass fields 
in the neighbourhood of towns and villages, and in the interior is to be 
ton id in paddy fields as soon as the grain is of sufficient length to afford 
It cover. 
In the Galle district -I have often detected it in sugar cane cultivation, 
and in the Eastern and Northern Province It inhabits sedges and long grass i 
in the beds of dried tip tanks. 
HABITS 
This Warbler frequents grass fields, tall paddy, and other native cereals 
and long grass or tussocky wastes of all kinds. It is an active little 
bird, generally found In pairs, which flit about the tall corn, alighting 
on, and clinging with' ease to, the most pliant stalks, while they constantly 
utter their repeated note, "kink-kink-kink- B . 
Several pairs have frequented the Guinea grass near my quarters on the 
Galle Face, and together with the Ashy Wren Warbler, and the little Grass 
Warbler, conduced to make the little field an 'interesting resort of small 
birds. 
I found it in great abundance in the bed of Hurulle tank, which, in the 
dry season, is a vast area of long grass; to such large tracts as this, as m 
well as to extensive paddy fields, it usually flocks for the time being, ta¬ 
king itself off again when its shelter is removed by fire, water, or the 
hand of the reaper. 
It consorts much with the Ashy Prlnia, and at a distance is with difficul- 
