465. Prinia sylvatica.
The Jungle Wren- Warbler.
Prinia sylvatica, Jerd. Madr. Journ. L. S. xi, p. 4 (1840); Sharpe, Oat. B. M. vii, p. 199, pls. vii, viii; Oates in Hume's N. & B. 2nd ed. i, p. 200. Prinia neglecta, Jerd. Madr. Journ. L. S. xiii, pt. 2, p. 130 (1844). Drymoica sylvatica (Jerd.) Blyth, Cat. p. 142; Horsf. & M. Cat. i, p. 327. Drymoica neglecta (Jerd.), Blyth, Cat. p. 142; Horsf. & M. Cat. i, p. 328. Drymoica robusta, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xviii, p. 812 (1840) ; id. Cat. p. 142. Drymoica valida, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xx, p. 180 (1851); Horsf. & M. Cat. p. 328 ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 395. Drymoipus sylvaticus (Jerd.), Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 181 ; Hume N. & E. p. 351 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 220. Drymoipus neglectus (Jerd), Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 182; Hume, N. & E. p. 352 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 220. Drymoipus jerdoni (Blyth), apud Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 240. Drymoepus rufescens, Hume, Ibis, 1872, p. 110. Drymoipus rufescens (Hume), Hume, N. & E. p. 351; id. S F. ii, p. 453,iii, p.408; Butler, S.F. iii, p. 484; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 2i 9. Drymoipus insignis, Hume, S. F. i, p. 10 (1873) ; id. N. & E. p. 351 ; Butler, S. F. iii, p. 484. Drymoica rufescens (Hume), Ball & Hume, S. F. vii, pp. 217, 218. Drymoeca rufescens (Hume), Hume, Cat. no. 544 bis. Drymoeca sylvatica (Jerd.), Hume, Cat. no. 545. Drymoeca insignis (Hume), Hume, Cat. no. 545 bis. Drymoeca valida (Blyth), Hume, Cat. no. 545 ter; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 525, pl. 25; Barker, S. F. ix, p. 480. Drymoeca neglecta (Jerd.), Hume, Cat. no. 546. Drymoeca jerdoni (Blyth), Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 527; Barker, S. F. ix, p. 480.
The Jungle Wren-Warbler, The Allied Wren-Warbler, Jerd.; Konda-lotakun-jitta, Tel.; Tot-rungi, H. in Central India.
Coloration. In the summer the upper plumage is earthy brown tinged with rufous, and the head darker and suffused with ashy, the edges of the wings more rufous; middle tail-feathers brown; the next pair brown, tipped white and with a subterminal brown spot; the others progressively paler and whiter, the outermost pair becoming almost entirely white ; the whole tail cross-rayed ; lores, a short supercilium, and round the eye pale fulvous; ear-coverts grey ; lower plumage very pale buff.
In winter the upper plumage is a warm rufous-brown, the margins of the wings and tail brighter; the tail cross-rayed, with light fulvous tips and dusky subterminal bars ; lores and a supercilium to just past the eye whitish ; ear-coverts fulvous-brown with white shafts; cheeks light fulvous barred with brown; entire lower plumage ochraceous, whitish on the middle of the abdomen.
The young are like the adult in winter plumage, but more rufous above and deep fulvous below.
In summer the legs and feet are fleshy ; iris hazel; bill and gape black; in winter the bill is brown, yellowish at base.
Length in summer about 6; tail 2.6 to 2.9; wing 2.2 to 2.5; tarsus .8; bill from gape .7; in winter the total Length is about 6.5 and the tail 2.8 to 3.2.
After examining several hundreds of these larger Wren-Warblers I can come to no other conclusion but that there is only one species throughout India, in spite of variations of colour and size. Jerdon described Drymoipus sylvaticus and D. neglectus very indifferently, but as both names can only apply to the present species, I have adopted the first of them for it.
Distribution. Throughout India from the Himalayas to Ceylon. The western limit appears to be a line drawn from Cutch to Garhwal and the eastern the meridian of longitude passing through Calcutta. I have seen specimens from Garhwal and Kumaun, but from no other part of the Himalayas themselves.
Habits, &c. Breeds from June to September, constructing a roundish nest of grass in a bush or a clump of grass close to the ground. The eggs, three to five in number, are pale greenish speckled and marked with pale reddish brown ; they measure .7 by .5.
Add new comment