264 TIMELIID^. 



o, TT, p, 0-, T Ad. hiem Yokohama, Japan. H. Pryer, Esq. [C.]. 



ek. 

 V. Ad. 6k Europe. Baron Laugier. 



17. Cisticola cherina*. 



Drvmoica clierina, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Aves, pi. 77. fig. 3 (184.S) ; 



Bp. CoHsp. i. p. 283 (1850) ; Grill, Zool. Anteckn. p. 31 (1857) ; 



Grill/, Iland-l. B. i. p. 198, no. 2742 (1869). 

 Drymoica niadagascarieiisis, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 53 (1801) ; Verr. 



In Vinson, T'oi/. Madaq., Ann. B, p. 2 (1805) ; Gray, Hand-l, B. 



i. p. 198, no. 2749 (1869). 

 Drymoeca madagascariensis, Roch ^ Newton, Ibis, 1803, p. 343 ; 



tScMer, P. Z. S. 1803, p. 102. 

 Cisticola madagascariensis, Netcton, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 835 ; Schl. 



P. Z. S. 1860, p. 421 ; Grandid. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1807, p. 357 ; 



Schlegel ^- Poll. Faun. Madaq., Ois. p. 9] (1808) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 



1870, p. 391 ; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 29 (1871) ; Bartl. P. Z. S. 1875, 



p. 05; Hartl. Viig. Madag. p. 118 (1877); Milm-Edwards (^ 



Grandid. in Grayidid. Hist. Madag., Ois. p. 325, pi. 130 (1881). 

 Cisticola cherina, Sha7-]}e, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr, p. 278 (1870). 



Adult male. General colour above blackish brown, streaked with 

 lighter brown, the feathers being blackish in the centre, with sandy- 

 brown edges ; rump uniform rufous-brown ; lesser wing-coverts dull 

 sandy brown ; median and greater coverts dark brown, margined with 

 Bandy brown like back ; primary-coverts dusky brown, with very nar- 

 row edges of sandy brown ; quills dark brown, margined with sandy 

 brown, broader on secondaries, the primaries more rufous on outer 

 web ; upper tail-coverts dark brown, with sandy-brown edges ; tail- 

 feathers dark brown, edged with sandy or whitish brown, all but the 



* It is well known tliat the late Sir Andrew Smith obtained several birds from 

 Madagasoar during his residence in South Africa, and more than one species 

 has been put down on bis authority as South-African which is now known to 

 occur only in Madagascar. This seems to have been the case with the present 

 bird, as the tvpeof Z^. cherina turns out to be identical with the common Grass- 

 Warbler of Madagascar. It is to be noticed, however, that Grill is said to have 

 identified one of Victorin's specimens as D. cherina of Smith ; and it is possible 

 that the Madagascar species is also found on the mainland of Africa, though I 

 do not think this at all likely. 



I add a detailed description of Smith's type :^ 



Adult. General colour above brown, with darker centres to the feathers, 

 giving a slight appearance of streaks to the head, much more distinct on the 

 back, where the centres are black ; rump (damaged) apparently uniform falvous- 

 brown, the upper tail-coverts with narrow blackish streaks; wing-coverts dark 

 brown with ashy-fulvous margins, especially distinct on the greater series ; 

 quills dark brown also, the primaries margined with lighter brown, the 

 secondaries with ashy fulvous exactly like the wing-coverts; tail dark brown, 

 with obsolete dusky bars under certain lights, tiie Tour centre feathers tipped 

 with lighter bri)wn, with an obsolete subterminal bar of blackish ; all the other 

 tail-feathers tipped with white, before which is a very distinct subterminal bar 

 of black, the outermost feather edged with whitish ; lores and an almost imper- 

 ceptible eyebrow huffy white, the ear-coverts browner ; cheeks and throat dull 

 white, as also the centre of the body, the sides of which are clear brown, darker 

 OQ the thighs ; under wing-coverts fulvous. Total length 4-1 inches, cuhnen 

 Ono, wing 19, tail 17, tarsus 8. 



