80 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voi.. 64. 



Three or four specimens taken in March have a very slight tinge of 

 yellow on the chest and flanks, remains of the immature plumage. 

 The fall birds are whiter below. 



The above series when compared with Philippine specimens taken 

 at the same season are lighter, both above and below, and average 

 smaller. Ogilvie-Grant *- has expressed a doubt whether the Philip- 

 pine bird is the same as that from Australia, and is of the belief 

 that it is the same as Cisticola einjthroce'phala. I have no examples 

 of the latter for comparison. Cabanis*^ named the Luzon bird 

 Cisticola semirufa, and as it is the only name certainly applicable^ 

 it seems to me the only safe course is to call the Philippine race 

 Cisticola exilis semirufa. Mathews ** divides the birds of this species 

 occurring in Australia into numerous forms. This leaves the name 

 of the Celebes bird in doubt and as I have shown above that it is 

 not exactly the same as the Philippine race, the only safe course 

 is to use the oldest name founded upon a Celebes specimen, which 

 happens to be Cisticola grayi Walden.*^ The only specimen from 

 Australia examined by me is without definite locality or date; it 

 seems to be darker and more heavily streaked than Philippine birds. 

 A male in the United States National Museum (No. 234123) from 

 Bouro Island, December 10, in breeding plumage is hardly dis- 

 tinguishable from Philippine examples; it is only slightly darker 

 on the back. 



A male from Java (No. 219579) in breeding plumage, only differs 

 from Philippine specimens in having the top of head lighter and 

 this may be due to bleaching; two females from the same source 

 are like Celebes birds in color and measurements. From the above 

 it would appear that this species needs revision, but the material 

 at my command is not sufficient to undertake it. 



Hartert*® says that all the birds of this si^ecies from Letti, Moa, 

 and Roma examined my him are without white tips to the tail- 

 feathers. Philippine winter specimens usually have white tips but. 

 breeding birds seem to lack it. Most of the Celebes examples are 

 without white tips to the outer tail feathers, but a few have them^ 

 so it would appear that the presence or absence of the white tips 

 has something to do with the condition of the plumage. 



Below the measurements of various series are given, exclusive of 

 breeding males : 



*2Ibis, 1896. p. 117. 



«Journ. f. Orn., 1866, p. 10 (nomen nudum), and 1872, p. 316 (descr.). 



« Nov. Zool.,, vol. 18, 1912, p. 343, and List Birds Australia, 1913, p. 210. 



« Ann. Mas. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. 9, 1872, p. 400. 



"Nov. Zool., vol. 11, 1904, p. 210. 



