Ornithology of the Egyptian Soudan. 333 



November to March. It is most abundant in the winter 

 and early spring months. In 1902 large numbers appeared 

 in the cultivated spots round Khartoum on October 10th. A 

 few days earlier I might have searched in vain for a single 

 specimen. 



Cisticola aridula Witherby (Ibis, 1901, p. 256) I have so 

 far failed to obtain. 



88. Cisticola marginalis (Heugl.). 



a. (J . Fashoda, Feb. 6, 1902. 



Common in high grass along the river and khors at 

 Fashoda. It is a shy little bird, disappearing into the grass 

 the instant it settles, after the manner of a Locustella. 



The species is distinguishable from its near ally, C. erythro- 

 genys Heugl., by having the upper tail-coverts unspotted buff. 



87. Cisticola ruficeps (Riipp.). 

 a. $. Gedaref, June 1901. 



c. <J. Tewfikia, April 1902. 



d. ? . Jebel Melbis, April 14, 1904. 



The Red-capped Fantail- Warbler seems to be widely dis- 

 tributed. I have met with it on the Blue Nile and its 

 tributaries, on the Atbara and the Setit, round Gallabat and 

 Gedaref, on the White Nile, and near El Obeid in Kordofan. 

 My specimen from the last locality (now in the British 

 Museum) is considerably paler than others from the dark 

 cotton-soil districts, or than any of the series in the British 

 Museum. This may perhaps be due to bleaching or abrasion ; 

 but though the difference in colour is slight, I am inclined 

 to think that other specimens from the western sandy regions 

 will be found to shew it too. In habits this is rather a 

 pleasing little bird ; it often comes close to a tent to investi- 

 gate it, hopping actively about on the ground, and when 

 followed flitting from bush to bush instead of taking refuge 

 in the grass. 



88. Cercotrichas podobe (P. L. S. Mull.). 

 a. S • J ebel Ain, Nov. 15, 1902. 



The Black Bush-Robin is a common bird of the acacia- 

 ser. viii. — vol. v. 2 a 



