100 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Genus UROSPHENA, Swinhoe. 
102. UROSPHENA SQUAMICEPS. 
SWINHOE'S REED-WARBLER. 
Tribura squameiceps, Swinh. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 292. Horornis squameiceps, 
David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 240. Urosphena squamiceps, Swinh. Ibis, 1877, 
p. 205, pi. iv. ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 343 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 100. Cettia 
squamiceps, Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. Mus. v. p. 142. 
Description. — The whole upper plumage rich hair-brown tinged with 
chocolate^ the feathers of the head rounded, the edges darker and the 
shafts rather pale; the outer webs of the wing-quills rather brighter; 
a very distinct stripe, extending from the nostril over the eye to the nape, 
buflpy white ; lores and a streak between the supercilium and ear- coverts 
very dark brown ; ear-coverts and cheeks buffy white, each feather tipped 
with brown ; the whole lower plumage pale huffish white, turning to 
almost pure white on the chin, throat and centre of abdomen. The sexes 
probably do not difiPer in colour. 
Legs, feet and claws fleshy white ; two thirds of lower mandible fleshy 
white ; rest of lower mandible and upper one horny brown ; irides dark 
brown. {Davison.) 
Length 4 inches, tail 1*2, wing 2*1, tarsus '7, bill from gape '65 : the 
second primary is about equal to the eighth ; the first primary is about 
•6 inch in length. It is not known whether the sexes difi'er in size. 
Swinhoe^s Reed- Warbler is probably only a winter visitor to Burmah. 
Mr. Davison procured it in the extreme north of Tenasserim, at Bankasoon ; 
and it has not yet been obtained in any other part of Burmah. 
It occurs in winter in South China and Formosa; it has also been 
observed in Japan, at the mouth of the Ussuri river and at Wladiwostock, 
and it probably breeds in these places. 
Mr. Davison observes : — I found them always on the ground, hopping 
about and turning over the dead leaves, and working in and out and about 
the fallen trunks and branches. Sometimes, when disturbed, they would 
fly up on to some low branch ; but they had hardly settled before they 
dropped again to the ground. They were not at all shy, and could be 
approached within a couple of feet When disturbed, they utter a 
feeble chick, chick, which is the only note I have heard. The one examined 
had eaten minute insects.''^ 
