108 TURDID^. 



Type. 

 Psithvi'fedus, Gloqer, Gem. Hanclh. Naturg. p. 298 



(1842) ' L. locustella. 



Pai-nopia, Blasius, Neivt. List B. Eur. Bias. p. 11 



(18G2) L. locustella. 



Acridiornis, Serertz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 6G (1873) . . L. locustella. 



Threnetria, Schauer, Journ. Orn. 1873, p. 161 L. locustella. 



The genus Locustella comprises the Grasshopper Warblers, a small 

 but well-defined group of birds nearly allied to AcrocepTialus, 

 agreeing with this genus in having 12 tail-feathers, the tarsus 

 scutellated in front, and the bastard primary so minute as rarely 

 to extend beyond the primary-coverts. It diifers from Acrocephalus 

 in having a more rounded tail, and nearly obsolete rictal bristles. 

 The outside tail-feathers are shorter than the under tail-coverts, 

 except in one instance, where, however, they are less than three 

 fourths the length of the longest. The bill is long and slender, 

 as in the CaJamodine group of Acrocephalus, which many of the 

 species further resemble in having the upper parts spotted. The 

 predominant colours are russet-brown and olive-brown. 



These birds are all migratory and moult twice in the year. So 

 far as is known, all the species have the continuous moDotonous 

 note, which can scarcelj' be called a song, and which has given them 

 the name of Grasshopper AYarblers. 



Three of the species breed in Central Europe, and winter in 

 North Africa; a fourth breeds in Western Siberia, and winters in 

 India ; a fifth breeds in Eastern Siberia, and winters in India, 

 Bunnah, and the Malay archipelago ; a sixth also breeds in Eastern 

 Siberia, and a seventh on the eastern shores of the Pacific — both 

 these latter wintering in the islands of the Malay archipelago. 



Key to tlie Species. 



A. Upper parts nearly uniform in colour ; under sur- 



face of tail-feathers nearly uniform in colour. 



(Subgeneric group Potamodi.) 



a. Culmen more than 0'65 inch long.- Under tail- 



coverts not quite so long as the outside tail- 

 feathers fasciolata, p. 109. 



b. Culmen less than 06o inch long. Under tail- 



coverts longer than the outside tail-feathers. 

 a'. Upper parts olive-brown; breast striated . . fluviatilis, p. 110. 

 h'. Upper parts russet-brown ; no striations on 



breast luscinioides, p. 112. 



B. Upper parts generally spotted like a Lark ; if un- 



spotted, or nearly so, imder surface of tail-feathers 

 with a subterminal black bar and pale tip. 



(Subgenerie group Locustellje.) 



c. Tail-feathers with a subterminal black bar and 



pale tip. 

 c'. Upper parts with very indistinct darker 



centres to the feathers, sometimes obsolete, ochotensis, p. 113. 



