206 



BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The few adult specimens in the collections in "Winter (off-season) 

 dress were obtained in the months of August and October, that is, 

 not during what is the principal breeding season for Cisticolae in 

 Kenya Colony." 



The males have wings of from 69 to 72 mm in length ; tails, from 

 53 to 56 mm. Lynes gives tail measurements of only 45 to 51 mm 

 for summer (or perennial) plumages and 58 mm for a winter male. 



The breeding season appears to be during the rains, but it is not 

 too definitely known. 



CISTICOLA BRACHYPTERA KATONAE Madarasz 



Cisticola katonae Madarasz, Ann. Mus. Hungar., 1904, p. 204 : Boma Gombe, 



near Moshi, Kilimanjaro district, Tanganyika Territory. 

 Specimens oolletted: 



2 males, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 



1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 



1 male, Thika River, 20 miles above tbe mouth, Kenya Colony, August 27, 

 1912. 



1 female, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 



1 female, Indian Store, south Donio Sabuk, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 



2 males, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 30-31, 1912. 



These nine specimens, taken within one month, show considerable 

 \ ariation in abrasion ; some are very new, others quite worn. Lynes ^^ 

 notes tliat "the majority of adults seem to moult during August, 

 September, and October," a statement that fits in very nicely with the 

 present series. 



The female from Donio Sabuk aj)pears to be immature. The di- 

 mensions of the adults are given in table 41. 



Table 41. — Measurements of eight specimens of Cisticola brachyptera katonae 



from Kenya Colony 



This race is larger than reichenoioi and differs from zedlitzi in 

 having a perennial, not a seasonal, mode of plumage. 



^Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 479. 



