collected in Uganda and British East Africa. 453 



Cisticola prinioides. 

 c? 1. 17.xi.l2. 



Not common ; this species was breeding in the scrub in 

 November. 



Locality. Nakuru, in British East Africa. 



Cisticola nuchalis. 



S 1-4. 30. X. 10 ; 4. x. 10 ; 30. x. 10 ; 1. v. 12. 



S 1-2. l.ix.lO; 30.x. 10. 



In trying to name these birds I have gone over the whole 

 o£ this group in the Tring Museum. It appears to me that 

 tliere are four distinct races, viz. : — 



C. robusta, from north-east Africa. A large bird, with dis- 

 tinct black markings on the head and back, the brown 

 of the head being dark and extending well beyond the 

 nape on to the mantle. 



C. ambigua, the East African form. Head not well marked, 

 ground-colour pale chestnut to deep ochraceous, ex- 

 tending well over the nape. Mottling on the back 

 subdued, the margins of the feathers not contrasting 

 with the centre stripe. 



C. (?), from Uganda, with a pale ochraceous head, not 

 extending beyond the nape-markings of the crown, 

 these markings are numerous, fine and dark, giving 

 the crown a dark appearance ; the mantle brightly 

 marked, the edging to the feathers being pale greyish 

 white, contrasting markedly with the black centres. 



C. nuchalis Reichw., from Kagera, German East Africa. A 

 bird with a dark brown head with a few large dark 

 markings, the brown being continued on to the mantle 

 as a brown wash ; the mantle dark, the edging to the 

 feathers being brownish grey, not contrasting with 

 the brown-black centre stripe. 



Uganda birds have a wing-measurement of 63-66 mm. 

 (males), 54-60 mm. (females). 



These birds nest close to the ground, building a domed 

 nest amongst the grass or in a small shrub. The nest is 



SER. X. VOL. IV. 2 H 



