ae Cis . Te ene 
268 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
252. CisrrcoLA CHINIANA. Larger Grey-backed Fantail. 
Drymoica chiniana, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 91. 
We regard this species as a large form of C. subruficapilla, which 
it represents throughout 8. E. Africa, Natal, and the Transvaal into 
Damara Land. Sir Andrew Smith procured the first specimen near 
Kurrichaine, and Captain Shelley has recently received this bird 
from the neighbourhood of Durban, where it was procured by Mr. 
T. L. Ayres, and Mr. T. E. Buckley has brought back skins from 
Suaziland. The latter gentleman also met with it in Bamangwato 
in 1873, and in the Transvaal Mr. Ayres reports that it is common 
in many localities on the Limpopo. We have also seen specimens 
from Macamac. In Damara Land it cannot be rare, for Mr. 
Andersson’s collections contained plenty of examples, shot near 
Otjimbinque, Elephant Vley, on the Swakop River, &c. He also 
procured it in Ondonga, and Senor Anchieta has likewise met with 
it at Humbe on the Cunene river. 
The following description is from Mr. Buckley’s Bamangwato 
specimen, which seems to be in full breeding plumage. The winter 
dress is more mealy. 
Adult male.—Head and nape 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 rafous, 
becoming paler towards the tips of the feathers, especially of the 
primaries, the innermost secondaries edged all round with ashy 
fulyous ; tail light brown, slightly rufescent, 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 feathers round the eye; feathers 
over the eye fulyescent but not forming a very distinct eyebrow ; 
ear-coverts greyish brown with narrow whitish shaft-lines ; cheeks, 
throat, and under parts white, the flanks somewhat washed with 
fulvous grey, the sides of the upper breast greyish brown; thighs © 
tawny buff; under wing-coverts also pale tawny buff; lower surface 
of quills brown, the edge of the inner web pale rufous; bill brown, 
the lower mandible lighter; feet very light brown; iris light hazel. 
Total length, 5-6 inches; culmen, 0°55; wing, 2°6; tail, 2°7; 
tarsus, 0°9. 
Fig. Smith, I. Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pl. 79. 
