DESCRll^TION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



Total lengthy 3-6o ; tail, 1.60 ; wing, 2.00. 



Female a little smaller and somewhat duller in colour. 



Distrihutiou. — Cape Province to Namaqualand and the 

 Transvaal. 



Habits. — These tiny birds live in pairs and family parties 

 in the open country where there is plenty of scrub, small-bushes, 

 mimosa, heath, and other cover. They are particularly common 

 in the western side of Cape Province. The kapok vogel, as it 

 is termed, builds a remarkable nest. It is excessively large for 

 the size of the bird, and Is made of sheeps' wool or wild cotton 

 so closely woven as to resemble thick felt. It is impervious to 

 rain. The entrance is near the top at the side, as shown in the 

 illustration. There is a small pouch under the real entrance 

 which the male bird sits in. Clutch, 6 to 1 2 ; eggs pure white ; 

 size, 0.56 by 0.38. 



Grey-backed Grass Warbler {Cisticola subrnficapilla). 

 (Vol. II., p. 18.) 



Description. — Male : ashy-brown on the back, the feathers 

 streaked with dark brown. Crown rufous, also streaked with 

 dark brown. Tail rufous-brown with a subterminal band. 

 Ring round the eye and eyebrow. Under parts dull white. 

 A few brown streaks on the sides of the breast. Iris brown. 

 Bill brown. Legs fleshy. 



Total length, 5.00 ; tail, 2.25 ; wing, 2.20. 



The female is not so strongly tinged with rufous as the male. 



Distribution. — From Cape Province through Africa to the 

 Sahara. 



Habits. — These warblers live in the grass-veld in pairs. 

 The nest is built of dry grass and cobwebs, lined with cotton, 

 and is domed in appearance. It is placed in a low, scrubby 

 bush, preferably a thorny one. Clutch, 4 ; eggs white or 

 pale blue, spotted and dotted mostly at the larger end with 

 reddish-brown ; size, 0,58 by 0.45. 



Ill 



