CISTICOLA CURSITANS. 



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likewise just as plentifully diffused over all the patnas and grass-lands of the Central Province, being quite as 

 numerous at Nuwara Elliya and on the Horton Plains as it is several thousand feet lower down. It is a very 

 well-known bird in the neighbourhood of Colombo, frequenting in large numbers the "Water " grass-fields in the 

 cinnamon-gardens, and those in Borella, Malagaha kanda, and other suburbs of the capital. It is equally 

 common near Galle, Trincomalie, and Jaffna. 



It is found in suitable localities throughout the whole of India, extending into Burrnah, where Mr. Oates 

 says it is " very common in all paddy-lands during the rains." Further south, in Tenasserim, it does not 

 seem to be so generally distributed as there. The same writer remarks, " I have only occasionally met with 

 this species in the Thatone plains and at Tavoy in grassy lands or rice-fields. It was by no means numerous, 

 and always seen singly or in pairs." In the Malayan archipelago it may be said to exist in the form of a 

 species which cannot well be separated, and specimens of which I have seen sent from Macassar and Flores. 



Turning northward we find it, according to Swinhoe, an inhabitant of China, Hainan, and Formosa; and 

 Pere David writes that it occurs throughout the east of China, from Hainan to Tientsin, and that he met 

 with it frequently at Shanghai. In Europe it inhabits the countries bordering the Mediterranean, being much 

 more common in some localities than in others. In Corsica Mr. Bygrave Wharton says it is numerous at 

 Biguglia, but observed nowhere else. Dr. Giglioli reports it as common in the neighbourhood of Pisa, 

 frequenting grass- and corn-fields in the spring. It is likewise found in Switzerland. Near Gibraltar it is, 

 according to Col. Irby, resident and very plentiful in winter, and in Southern Spain it is said by Mr. Saunders 

 to be common as far north as lat. 40°. It has been stated to be plentiful in Portugal ; but I observe that the 

 Rev. A. C. Smith, in writing to 'The Ibis' of 1868, states that he did not meet with it in that country, 

 though he searched diligently for it in likely places. Crossing over to Africa, we find it noted as the most 

 common of aquatic (?) warblers in Tangier by Mons. Favier ; and Captain Shelley, in his excellent book on 

 the Birds of Egypt, says that it is one of the most abundant birds in that country and Nubia : further testi- 

 mony as to its distribution in this part of the world is afforded by Dr. von Heuglin, in his exhaustive monograph 

 of the Malurinje of North-eastern Africa (Ibis, 1869, p. 132), who says that it inhabits Arabia, besides being 

 a permanent resident in Egypt and Nubia, and goes southwards to Abyssinia and probably to Senaar. In 

 Western Africa it is common in various localities, having been procured on the River Volta, at Cape Coast, 

 Acra, &c. ; on the opposite side of the continent Dr. Kirk records it from Zanzibar. In South Africa it is 



some reeds in swampy ground close to Goodaloor, in the Wynaad, at the foot of the Nilghiris." Mr. Bourdillon's bird, 

 however, was met with under very different circumstances, from which I infer (should it in reality be the same as Jerdon's) 

 that the Broad-tailed Reed-bird is not entirely a denizen of reeds. " It was obtained," says Mr. Hume, " in open grass- 

 land at Colathoorpolay patnas, at an elevation of 3800 feet, in the Assamboo hills, the southernmost section of the 

 Western Ghats, about three degrees due south of Goodalore, where the lost type and hitherto unique specimen was 

 obtained." Nothing is said of its habits ; but Jerdon informs us that his bird " took short flights, and endeavoured to 

 conceal itself among the thick herbage." Its food consisted entirely of small insects. 



The accompanying woodcuts represent the bill, tail, and wing of the Ceylonese bird. 



