LU8GINIDJS. 89 



creeping out of view, and also out of reach ; for it is 

 difficult to flush it again. 



The food of this little bird consists of small insects. 

 Its eggs, which are four or, rarely, five in number, are 

 sometimes white, or more frequently white freely 

 sprinkled with minute brown spots; but occasionally 

 they are tinged with green, whilst others are of a reddish 

 colour. The nests also vary in form, material, and con- 

 struction ; some are airy and fragile, like the home of a 

 spider, whilst others are pretty compact and more or 

 less pasted on the outside with decomposed grasses ; and 

 it is a remarkable fact that the eggs in the spider-like 

 nests are always whitish, spotted with brown, whilst those 

 in the more complete nests are of a greenish tint but 

 with the same spotting. The nests, which are sometimes 

 globular, are suspended to the stalks of long grasses 

 about a foot above the ground. I have found them with 

 eggs from the 18th of February to the 31st of March. 



The irides in this species are brownish yellow; the 

 upper mandible is light brown, except the edges, which, 

 with the lower mandible, are of a light flesh-colour, as 

 are also the legs and toes. 



Measurements of a male and a female : — 



Male, 

 in. lin. 



Entire length 4 3... 



Length of folded wing . .20... 



„ tarsus 9... 



„ middle toe .... 5 .. . 



„ tail 17.. 



biU 8... 



[This species is a true Cisticola, and possesses twelve rectrices, 

 being the number characteristic of that genus. — Ed. J 



