of Birds from the Colony of Natal. 257 



and in the proportion of one of the red-billed birds to two of 

 the others." 



Another subject as to which I am also desirous of record- 

 ing an additional note, is the synonymy of the Cisticola from 

 Natal, for which\Dr. Hartlaub proposed the name of C. ayresii 

 {videVais, 1863, p. 325). 



The examination of numerous specimens of Drymoica ter- 

 restris, Smith, of which a typical example is preserved in the 

 British Museum, has convinced me that C. ayresii is identical 

 with this species ; and I have further arrived at the conclusion 

 that the latter is not separable from the Europseo- Asiatic Cis- 

 ticola cursitans (Frankl.), although specimens from tropical 

 and southern Africa are frequently rather brighter in their 

 tints than those from more northern localities. 



In ' The Ibis ' for 1871, p. 152, I gave the measurements 

 of eight specimens of Cisticola from various localities ; and I 

 am now able to furnish the measurements of several others, 

 all of which I consider should be referred to C. cursitans. 



Wing. 



From in. lin. 



Sicily, not sexed 2 



Do., do 1 10 



Algeria, do • 2 1 



Do., male 2 1 



Do., female 1 10 



Zanzibar, do 1 9 



Trans Vaal, do 110 



Do., do 1 9 



Do., male 2 



Do., do 1 9 



Do., two males 2 



Do., female 1 10 



Drakenberg, Natal, Male 1 11| 



Coast of Natal, typical specimens of C. 



ayresii, one male and one female .... 1 9 



Eland's Post, South Africa, male 2 



Do., not sexed 1 11 



Accra, West Africa, not sexed 1 10 



Cape-Coast, do., do 2 1 



River Volta, do., do 2 



Do., do., do 1 11 



Do., do., do. (two specimens) 1 10 



