78 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA, 



CiSTICOLA CURSITANS CURSITANS. 



The Bufous Fantail Warhler. 

 Cisticola cursifans (Gates, Vol. I., p. 374 ; Legge, p. 531). 



Description. — Males in breeding season : Forehead and 

 sides of crown uniform sepia brown, the feathers on the centre 

 of the crown and the nape more or less indistinctly edged 

 with rufous-gray ; the rest of the upper plumage deep brown 

 with broad tawny margins to all the feathers ; rump uniform 

 rufous-tawny ; wings and wing coverts dark brown with 

 fulvous margins ; tail deep brown with lighter edges, the 

 feathers with broad whitish tips and blackish sub-terminal 

 bands, which are seen most clearly on the under side ; above 

 the black bar is a rufous patch, which is mainly confined to 

 the inner web. Lores and eyebrow whitish ; face and ear 

 coverts rufescent, the latter with pale shafts ; throat and 

 lower parts white, deepening on the flanks, under tail coverts, 

 and thighs into pale rust colour. 



In the off season the head is more streaked, and the rufous 

 patches on the tail disappear. 



Females at all seasons have streaky heads. 



Birds from the hills are darker and more plainly streaked 

 than those from the low-country. 



Bill flesh colour, the ridge and tip darker ; iris grayish- 

 yellow, or pale olive ; legs pinkish. 



Length about 4 • 3 ; wing 2*1; tail 1 • 3 ; in the off season 

 about 1 "5 ; tarsus '15 ; bill from gape 'G. 



Distribution. — Found in paddy fields, swamps, and grassy 

 country all over the Island from sea level to the Horton Plains. 

 Various races occur throughout India and over a great part 

 of the Old World. 



Habits. — This tiny little Warbler may be met with in any 

 stretch of paddy field, grassy flat, or patana. It may be 

 recognized by its curious spasmodic flight and the sharp 

 little " chick, chick " which it utters while on the wing. On 

 alighting it threads its way very quickly through the grass 

 and is soon lost to sight. It appears to breed intermittently 

 from November until June or even later, and probably rears 

 several broods during the year. The nest is a deep tubular 



