Sea 
HEMIPIERYX TECTRIX. 279 
terminal bar of blackish, all the other tail-feathers tipped with white, 
before which is a very distinct subterminal bar of black, the outer- 
most feather edged with whitish ; lores and an almost imperceptible 
eyebrow buffy white, the ear-coverts browner ; cheeks and throat 
dull white as also the centre of the body, the sides of which are clear 
brown, darker on the thighs; under wing-coverts fulvous. Total 
length, 4°1 inches; culmen, 0°55; wing, 1:9; tail, 1:7; tarsus, 0°8. 
Fig. Smith, Il. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pl. 77, fig. 2. 
263, Huwipreryx TECTRIX. Pinc-pine Grass- Warbler. 
Drymoica tectriz, Layard, B. 8, Afr. p. 85. 
This little species, which is called ‘“ Ting-ting” by the Dutch 
) 
colonists (“ Kloppertjie,”” of some), is very similar to Cisticola ter- 
restris, but is distinguished by its very short tail. It is abundant 
throughout the western end of the colony, and we have received it 
from Mr. Cairncross at Swellendam. Near Cape Town it is very 
common, frequenting open plains covered with low scrub, or marshy 
places in which reeds grow. It climbs about these im a very clever 
manner, apparently sliding up and down; when pursued, it drops to 
the tangled herbage at the foot of some bush, and cannot be induced 
to quit its hiding-place. It often hovers in the air at a moderate 
height over the bushes, uttering its ringing, metallic cry of ‘ pinc- 
pinc-pinc,” jerking about with rapid strokes of the wing, suddenly 
dropping into the bushes, and then remaining mute. Le Vaillant 
attributes to this little bird a nest which is very common about the 
‘country, and is well known under the name of the “nest of the 
Kapokvogel,” but he is quite in error, the fabricator of this nest, 
the true “ Kapokvogel” (or cotton-bird), being the little Mgithalus 
minutus. The nest of D. tectrix is a domed structure, generally sup- 
ported between stems of grasses, sometimes placed on the ground. 
The eggs, 4—5, are white, sometimes light blue, spotted with minute 
reddish spots. Axis, 7’’’; diam. 6”. 
Upper parts of head and neck, interscapulars, back, and shoulders 
umber-brown, variegated with white and clear yellowish-brown ; 
sides of head and neck dirty yellowish-brown, with small umber 
blotches ; wing-feathers brownish-red, edged with pale wood-brown; 
chin and throat greyish white, indistinctly mottled with light umber- 
brown; breast and belly pale sienna-yellow, mottled with umber- 
brown spots; flanks and vent pale yellowish-brown, also spotted. 
