310 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



Genus Cisticola. Grass-Warblers. 



Tail strongly graduated or rounded. Two well-developed 

 rictal bristles. 



The Grass-Warbler. 

 Cisticola exilis. 



The genus Cisticola is a large one, comprising nearly thirty 

 species, which range from the borders of the Mediterranean to 

 Japan, Malaysia and Australia. Australia possesses but the 

 single species, which is found all over the Continent, and extends 

 to Eastern Bengal, the Philippines and Formosa. Brownish- 

 black above, each feather margined with bufE; under surface 

 sandy-buff, fading into white on the throat and centre of the 

 abdomen. Length about four inches. It frequents the long 

 grass of the flats, or the standing grain crops, and will almost 

 admit of being trodden on before it will rise and take wing, 

 and creeps about more like a mouse than a bird. Its note is a 

 short and feeble but very pleasing song. Eggs, three or four, 

 blue, spotted with red, .6 x .45 inch. Feeds on minute insects. 

 Considerable variation occurs according to season and locality. 



The nest is a beautiful structure, and may be built in a 

 small bush near the ground among long grass, in which case it 

 weaves the grass round the nest ; or again in a growing crop, it 

 then fastens the hanging lower dead leaves to its nest, which 

 may be composed of fine grass mixed with dandelion or thistle- 

 down ; or if the nest is built, as it usually is in Queensland, close 

 to the ground in a large-leaved shrub, its nest would then be 

 composed entirely of down and cobweb and two or three large 

 leaves of the shrub sewn round the nest, the thread being made 

 from cobweb, a delicate structure. 



Genus Megalurus. Grass-birds. 



With twelve tail feathers. Tail longer than wing. 



Small plain coloured birds, brown above, all the feathers 

 with darker centres, and paler below. They frequent the long 

 grasses and rushes in low damp flats, or along water-courses, 

 and are birds of secluded habits and short flight. The note is^ 

 simple and unattractive. The nest is deep cup-shaped, com- 

 posed of the soft tops of the reeds or of fine grasses lined with_ 



