42 Mr. Austin Roberts on 



highest trees in the neighbourhood, uttering a monotonous 

 note like " Churr churr che-che-chee." At other times they 

 make an irritating churring note from the middle of some 

 thicket. The nest is placed in a mixed bunch of green and 

 dry gr;iss on the edge of a small thorn- bush or fallen branch 

 of a tree ; in shape and composition it is like that of other 

 members of the genus. A number of unfinished nests were 

 found in November, but were always deserted by the owners 

 after I had inspected them ; one with a single egg, discovered 

 oil 13th December, was also deserted ; this egg is bluish 

 white, much spotted with slate and pinkish brown at the 

 obtuse end, and measures 18 x 12 mm. 



C/innamon-crowned Grass- Warbler (Cisticola ruficapilla). 

 — This species is the commonest member of the genus in 

 the bushveld ; though its small size and quiet voice do not 

 attract attention. I have elsewhere* given a description of 

 its habits, and need not, therefore, here repeat it. 



Levaillant's Grass-Warbler (Cisticola tiniens). — A few 

 pairs were seen near pools of water. The habits of this 

 species have also been elsewhere described at length. 



Pale Wren Grass- Warbler {Cisticola lavendulce). — Whether 

 specimens from the Transvaal are identical with the recently 

 described species (kalaliari) from Kalahari I have not the 

 means of proving. 



Possibly several races are to be found here, as the class of 

 country they frequent is of great variety ; there certainly 

 are several slight differences in shade and colour, but the 

 series in the Transvaal Museum Collection is not largo 

 enough for one to judge by, and these open veld frequenting 

 species vary more between the sexes and seasons than they 

 do specifically. This bird is common in more open parts of 

 the bushveld, and another species, if not more than one, 

 appear to be found side by side with it. 



Barred Wren- Warbler (^Calamonastes fasciolatus). — Occa- 

 sionally found in the bush near the gully, but nothing was 

 noted of its habits. It is decidedly shy and rare. 



* ' Aimals of the Transvaal Museum,' January I'JliJ, p. 244. 



