11. CI8TIC0LA. 241 



1. Cisticola mentalis. 



Drymoica mentalis, Fraser, P. Z. S. 1843, p. 16 ; Allen 8j- Thonips. 



Expecl Nujer, ii. p. 490 (1848) ; Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 163 (1848) ; 



Jard. Contr. Orn. 1849, p. 14 (cum fig.) ; Gordon, t. c. p. 7 ; Bp. 



Consp. i. p. 284 (1850) ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 201, no. 2835 



(1869). 

 Drymceca mentalis, Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr: -a. 58 (1857). 

 Melocichla mentalis, Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 271 (1857) ; Sliarpe, 



Ibis, 1869, p. 187; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 32 (1871); Vssher, Ibis, 



1874, p. 57; Beichenow, J.f. O. 1875, p. 46. 



Adult. General eoloiir above ashy brown, the rump shading into 

 riifous-broTTO, the upper tail-ooverts dai'k chestm;t ; forehead and 

 sinciput chestnut, the feathers stiff and pointed, the small plumes 



Similar to C. rujlceps, but with the head uniform with the back (not rufous), 

 obsoletely streaked with dusky ; the bill longer and higher ; wings shorter ; 

 upper tail-coverts pale ashy brown (not rufous) ; the outer toe shorter. Above 

 pale dusky ash-browu ; the head streaked with dusky ; interscapulary region 

 and scapulars more conspicuously streaked with smoky black ; quills smoky 

 brown, the outer web obsoletely paler-margined ; inner secoudsries and greater 

 wing-coverts smoky blackish.margined with rufous buft"; rump whitish; middle 

 tail-feathers dusky, slightly washed with rufous, the remainder more dusky 

 greyish, marked with blackish before the tip, which is whitish waslied with grey ; 

 under surface of the body buffy whitish, with the lores, throat, and middle of 

 the abdomen purer white ; the sides of body shaded with fulvous grey ; bill flesh}' 

 horn-colom-, the culmen duskv ; feet pale fulvous ; iris clear brown. Total length 

 4|", bill at front 5" 2'", wing 1" 11'", tail 1" 10'", tarsus 9'". {Hcuglin.) 



One would be led on superficial examination to regard the bird desci-ibed as 

 a somewhat faded yoimg state of D. ruficep?, if the difference in the proportion 

 of the toes were not observed ; for the outer toe is shorter than the inner one, 

 while in the other species the contrary proportion occurs. Moreover the vertex 

 and nape are not bright ferruginous, but light greyish browu, with narrow, not 

 clearly defined, yet tolerably distinct smoky -biOwn streaks on the shafts ; the 

 upper tail-coverts and margins of the rectrices are not bright ferruginous, but 

 light greyish brown. {Heuglin.) 



Described from a specimen killed on the 6th February in the country of the 

 Kidj negroes on the Bahr el Djebel. {HewjHn.) 



5. Cisticola modesta. 

 Drymoica (Cisticola) modesta, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. yiii. p. 57 (1880). 



Upper parts reddish brown, more decidedly brown on the head ; lores greyish ; 

 ear-coverts brown streaked with grey ; wings coloured like the back, with the 

 edges of the wing-coverts paler; quills brown, the primaries bordered externally 

 with reddish buff and internally with pale isabelline, the secondaries coloured 

 like the back, with paler edges, those nearest the body marked across with more 

 or less distinct bars of brown ; lower parts dirty white, purer on the tliroat, 

 slightly tinged with buff on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; sides of the 

 breast and flanks washed with ashy and brownish ; thighs reddish ; tail of the 

 sane coloar as the back, moderate, graduated, the two centre tail-feathers of 

 the same colour as the back, the others nuu-ked with a subterminal black spot 

 and tipped with reddish ; bill black, strorg and curved ; feet flesh-colour. 

 Total length 5-25 inches, wing 2-45, tail 2-1, bill 05, tarsus 1. {Bocage.) 



Sab. Loango coast. 



" The dimensions of the typical specimen agree well with those of C. pachy- 

 rhyncha ; but, to judge from the description and figure given by Heuglin, the 

 biU should be less strong in our new species, and certain peculiarities of colora- 



VOL. VII. K 



