CISTICOLA. 371 



feed a good deal on the ground, and are not shy or difficult to 

 observe. 



I restrict the genus to those Warblers with a seasonal change 

 of length of tail, accompanied by a short first primary (less than 

 half the length of the second) and a very slender, sharp-pointed 

 bill. I'hese characters exclude FranJclinia, which has a large first 

 primary, a shorter and rounder wing, and a larger and blunt bill. 



These Warblers have a moderate tail, almost short in summer, 

 evenly rounded, and forming a perfect fan, whence the English 

 name ; there are two short rictal bristles, no supplementary hairs, 

 and the forehead is smooth. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Upper plumage streaked ; the crown 



plain. 



a '. Crown chestnut C. erythrocephala tf sest., p. 371. 



b'. Crown pale yellow C. tytleri J sest., p. 372. 



c'. Crown golden yellow C. volitans $ sest., p. 373. 



b. Upper plumage streaked, including 



the crown. 



d '. Tips to all the tail-feathers indis- 

 tinct, dull rufous-white. 

 a". Crown rufous with black streaks, 

 the rufous preponderating . . 

 a'". Back ashy, streaked with [hyem., p. 373. 



black C. volitans $ sest. & ? <~? $ 



b'". Back rufous, streaked with 



black C. erythrocephala Q sest. & 



b". Crown black, with narrow ful- [c? $ hyem., p. 371. 



vous edges, the black prepon- 

 derating much ; a broad rufous [p. 372. 

 collar round the hind neck . . C. tytleri 5 aest. & <$ $ hyem., 

 e'. Tips to the lateral tail-feathers 



very broad and pure white .... C. cursitans, p. 374. 



378. Cisticola erythrocephala. The Red-headed Fantail- 

 Wctrbler. 



Cisticola erythrocephala, Jerd., Blyth, J. A. S. B. xx, p. 523 (1851) ; 



Jerd. B. /. ii, p. 175 ; Hume, S. F. v, pp. 94, 351, 406 ; id. Cat. 



no. 540 ; JDavison, S. F. x, p. 392 ; Terry, S. F. x, p. 476. 

 Cisticola exilis, Vig. $ Horsf., Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 269 (part.). 



The Red-headed Grass- Warbler, Jerd. 



Coloration. Male. In summer the forehead, crown, and nape 

 are chestnut, shading off into dull rufous, which forms a collar on 

 the hind neck and sides of neck ; back rufous, streaked with black ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts rufous-brown ; tail black with white 

 tips ; wings and coverts dark brown, edged with rich fulvous ; sides 

 ot the head and the whole lower plumage bright ferruginous. 



Female. In summer resembles the male in summer, but the fore- 

 head, crown, and upper tail-coverts are black, each feather edged 



