248 
Annals of the. Transvaal Museum. 
of the head and the upper and lateral parts of the neck, bright chestnut- 
brown, the two first variegated with umber brown stripes, one along the 
centre of each feather; interscapulars, back and tail-coverts liver-brown,, 
each feather edged on both sides with pale wood-brown ; lesser wing- 
coverts umber-brown, broadly edged and tipped with pale broccoli-brown. 
Primary and secondary quill-coverts and the tertiary quill-feathers liver- 
brown, and indistinctly edged externally with pale wood-brown ; primary 
and secondary quill feathers light brownish red, edged w T ith chestnut- 
brown. Under parts pale wood-brown, the throat lightest and inclining 
to white. Tail feathers light umber-brown, margined externally with 
pale chestnut-brown, and broadly tipped with dull wood-brown ; behind 
the light points each feather is marked with a circumscribed liver-brown 
blotch, which is much darker than the general colour of the feather, and is 
most readily seen, on the under surface of the tail. Eyebrows and sides 
of the head wood-brown. Bill horn -coloured, the lower mandible lightest ; 
legs and toes pale buff-orange ; claws horn-coloured. Eves deep chestnut- 
brown. Length 103, wing 57, tail 67, tarsus 18 mm.” 
Juvenile and female specimens have the hinder part of the crown 
faintly streaked, while males alone in summer have the whole top of the 
head plain. 
This species was described by both Lichtenstein and Smith in the 
year 1842 ; but custom has prescribed the use of the former’s name. 
Levaillant’s grass-warbler is the most widely distributed species in 
South Africa, being found from the coast to a height of six thousand or 
more feet above the sea-level ; the hot “ lowveld,” the cold “ highveld,” 
and the arid districts of the Western Transvaal suit it equally well, pro- 
vided there are streams or reservoirs in such situations producing a growth 
of certain weeds and rank grass. It is nearly always to be found in the 
weeds growing near water close to homesteads, and is less shy than any 
of its congeners, frequently building its nest in the w T eeds growing in open 
furrows of the larger towns, such as Potchefstroom and Pretoria, wdiere 
people are constantly passing to and fro within a few feet of it. The nest 
differs from those of most other species in being usually slung between 
the leaves and stalks of weeds a foot or two from the ground, and the 
outside is generally covered with darker coloured material. The choice of 
a nesting site is not restricted, however, and is often adapted to local 
conditions. At a certain place on the banks of the Mooi River at Potchef- 
stroom where this bird was very common, and the nests were constantly 
being robbed by boys who were in the habit of bathing in the vicinity 
these birds became very cunning, hiding their nests close up against the 
bank— this often forming the back of the nest for want of space — under 
some creeping grass which hung over the bank ; these nests were so 
cleverly concealed that to find them it was necessary to watch carefully 
where the bird flew out, or systematically to lift up the grass and search 
behind it. Eggs are laid throughout the summer months — October to 
March — the clutch consisting of from three to five, and even more; 
they vary to a remarkable degree in colour, and measure 14—16 X 
11 *5-12 -5 mm. 
There are about fifty specimens of this species in the Transvaal Museum 
collection, and as they vary very little inter se, it is hardly necessary to 
