380 SYLYIID^E. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Under tail-coverts dark ferruginous L. burnesi, p. 380. 



b. Under tail-coverts greyish white like abdomen. L. cinerascens, p. 381. 



386. Laticilla burnesi. The Long-tailed Grass-Warbler. 



Eurycercus burnesii, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiii, p. 374 (1844) ; Jerd. B. 



L ii, p. 74. 



Sphenreacus burnesii (Blyth), Blyth, Cat. p. 140. 

 Laticilla burnesi (Blyth}, Hume, S. F. i, p. 180; Butler, S. F. vii, 



pp. 182, 191 ; Hume, Cat. no. 443 j Doig, S. F. viii, p. 373 ; S/iarpe, 



Cat B. M. vii, p. 119 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 184 ; Oates in 



Hume's N. $ F,. 2nd ed. i, p. 247. 

 The Long-tailed Reed-bird, Jerd. ; Hidela, Sind. 



Fig. 120. Head of L. burnesi. 



Coloration. Lores, a ring round the eye, and a narrow super- 

 ciliurn white ; sides of the head and cheeks white, or pale ru Fes- 

 cent streaked with black ; forehead, crown, nape, hind neck, sides 

 of the neck, and the whole back and scapulars rufous-brown 

 broadly streaked with black, and the rufous brighter on the mantle ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts olive-brown, with obsolete shaft- 

 streaks ; tail olive-brown, darker along the shafts, the laterals 

 tipped with fulvous ; wing-coverts olive-brown with darker centres ; 

 quills with the outer webs olive-brown ; chin, throat, middle of 

 breast and abdomen white ; sides of the breast and abdomen oliva- 

 ceous, streaked with brown ; under tail-coverts dark ferruginous. 



Bill brown above, pale straw below ; legs, feet, and iris brown 

 (Butler). 



Length up to 7'5 ; tail in winter up to 4*3, in summer 3*7 ; 

 wing 2'2 ; tarsus *8 ; bill from gape '65. 



Distribution. Upper Sind from the junction of the Chenab and 

 Indus rivers to Larkha'na, and also on the Eastern Kara, where 

 Doig found this species breeding. Jerdon records it from Monghyr 

 on the Ganges in March. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds from March to September, constructing a 

 nest in a tussock of grass. The nest, the shape of which is not 

 described by Doig, but which, judging from his dimensions, is cup- 

 shaped, is composed of coarse grass lined with finer materials. 

 The eggs, three in number, are pale green blotched with purplish 

 brown, and measure '72 by '54. 



