286 TIMELIID^.. 



The above description is taken from a female killed in Damara- 

 land by Mr. Anderssou on the 12th April, 1865, Two other dissected 

 females also obtained by him agree in dimensions. A male shot at 

 Elephant Vley on 5th of August, 1859, has the wing 2-1 and the 

 tail 1-95. Young birds of both sexes after their first moult are the 

 C. lais of Finsch and Hartlaub. 



As in the case of many Cisticolw the tail-feathers are longer in 

 winter than iu summer — a male in the C.-lais plumage having the 

 tail 2-45, while a female has it 2-3. 



Young in winter plumnge (type of C. lais). Above fulvous-brown, 

 very broadly streaked with black, the margins to the dorsal feathers 

 rather rufescent : head and hinder neck more rufous than the back, 

 the blackish stripes miicli less distinct and indeed almost obsolete on 

 the nape and hinder neck ; rump uniform fulvous- brown ; the upper 

 tail-coverts also with very faint mesial streaks of blackish ; wing-coverts 

 ashy fulvous with dark-brown centres, the greater series more shaded 

 with rufous externally ; quills dark brown, broadly edged with, 

 rufous externally so as to give a rufous aspect to the wings ; the 

 margins of the secondaries paler and more fidvescent ; tail rufescent 

 brown, lighter rufous on the margins, the two centre feathers with- 

 out any subterminal black mark and irregularly waved across with 

 di;sky bars under certain lights ; all the other feathers with a broad 

 black subterminal bar, the tips being fulvescent, this pale ending 

 being more distinct on the outer plumes and forming a margin to 

 the last rectrix ; lores and feathers round the eye yellowish buif, 

 forming a tolerably distinct eyebrow ; sides of face ashy fulvous, the 

 ear-coverts rather browner with obsolete dusky tips to the feathers; 

 cheeks fulvous ; chin and centre of the body white ; the throat and 

 sides of the body tawny fulvous, clearer on the thighs, the flanks 

 slightly shaded with brown ; under wing- and tail-coverts tawny 

 buff; bill brown, yellowish at the base of the under mandible ; legs 

 yellowish. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 2-1, tail 2-35, 

 tarsus 0-75. {Mas. Brem.) 



In the above stage of plumage the head is frequently of the same 

 colour as tbe back, though the latter often gives an indication of the 

 approaching grey back characteristic of the fully adult bird. Below, 

 the younrj hirds in u'inter plumage are of a deeper ochraceous buff 

 than at any other time of their life. 



C. chiniana is nothing more than a large race of C. subntjicapilla, 

 with a general tendency to a more uniform rufous crown. 



Adult male of larger race in Irecding-plunwge. Head and na])e 

 uniform rufous ; back ashy brown, with dark-brown centres to the 

 feathers, the scapulars more grey ; wing-coverts coloured like the 

 back, with pale fulvous margins to the feathers ; quills dark brown, 

 externally margined with rufous, becoming paler towards the tips of 

 the feathers, especially of the primaries, the innermost secondaries 

 edged all round with ashy fulvous ; tail light brown, slightly rufes- 

 cent, the two centre feathers darker brown with fulvous margins, 

 and tipped with pale fulvous, the outer ones with white, all having 

 a blackish subterminal bar ; lores yellowish buff, as also a ring of 



