350 ZOOLOGICAL EESULTS OF THE RUWENZOKI EXPEDITION. 



at the foot of the mountains at an elevation of 3400 ft., and is never found among the 

 elephant-grass at 5000 ft. The note of C. emini, which is a curious long trill, is quite 

 unlike that of C. chubbi. Both species are very numerous where they occur, but they 

 are never found together. C. emini is a bird of rather retiring habits and is not often 

 seen, except when it utters its curious note. Then the male bird takes up a 

 position in some high acacia-tree and, sitting motionless, gives forth every few minutes 

 a long trill which seems to be ventriloquised, for, as a rule, it is most difficult 

 to locate.— 2?. B. W.~\ 



CiSTICOLA BELLI Grant. 



Cisticola belli Grant, Bull. B. O. C. xxi. p. 71 (1908). 

 a. d . Mokia, S.E. Ruwenzori, 3400 ft., 31st May. [No. 3434. R. B. W. Type 

 of the species^] 



The single male specimen is most nearly allied to C. chubbi Sharpe, and as in that 

 species the lores are black, but it differs in the following particulars: — The bill is lon<, r 

 and more slender; the back and wing-coverts greyer brown; the tail much shorter 

 (i. e. 54 mm. as compared with 05 mm. in C. chubbi), with the middle pair of feathers 

 conspicuously barred, and the outer pairs tipped with grey and edged with white (not 

 with buff or clay-colour). The outer edges of the primary-quills are conspicuously 

 rufous-brown. 



From C. emini Reichenow, which is also found in the same locality, it may be at 

 once distinguished by having the bill longer and less curved ; the under mandible 

 black instead of pale horn-colour; the lores black instead of white ; and the back greyer, 

 contrasting with the reddish-brown crown. Iris hazel ; bill black ; feet light brown. 

 Total length ca. 5"2 inches ; culmen 0'65 ; wing 2 - 35 ; tail 205 ; tarsus TO. 

 This species is named in honour of Mr. W. A. Bell, one of the Subscribers to the 

 Ruwenzori Expedition. 



[A single specimen of Bell's Grass-Warbler was shot in the papyrus-swamp on the 

 edge of Lake Edward at an altitude of 3000 ft. In appearance it closely resembles 

 C. chubbi, which is found on Ruwenzori from 5000-8000 ft., but is never seen in the 

 vicinity of Lake Edward, where the present species occurs. C. lateralis again, 

 which it also resembles, is found at the north end of the range and near Lake 

 Albert, but inhabits the dry acacia-country. A third species, C. emini, which also 

 resembles C. belli, is found near the same locality, but inhabits only the dry acacia- 

 country at the foot of the mountains and is never seen or heard near the papyrus- 

 swamps on the lake. These three species of Cisticola (C. chubbi, C. lateralis, and 

 C. emini) have distinctive and striking notes, which could not have failed to attract 

 attention if heard in the papyrus-swamp. C. belli was evidently breeding, as the 

 testes in the male procured were much enlarged. Although only one specimen was 

 obtained, others were seen in the same locality. — B. B. W .] 



