80 
Mr. B. Alexander —An Ornithological 
Named in memory of Mr. Muller, a comrade in our expedi¬ 
tion, who died of dysentery at Tete. 
Our attention was attracted to this little Grass-Warbler 
by its habit of frequenting the tops of tall trees and uttering 
a few plaintive and metallic notes. 
Hab. Mesanangue, Zambesi river. 
89. ClSTICOLA CINERASCENS (HeUgl.). 
Found below Tete, frequenting thick grass near the river. 
The song is thin and screechy. 
Adult $ (winter plumage). Wing 2*0 inches, culmen 0*4, 
tail 2*3. Iris straw-colour; upper mandible brown, lower 
horn-colour. 
90. Cisticola erythrops (Hartl.). 
Not common, and observed either singly or in pairs on the 
higher reaches of the river. Unlike other Cisticolas, it keeps 
much to the belts of fish-cane bordering the water, and in 
habits closely resembles a Reed-Warbler. 
Adult (November 27). Total length (measured in flesh) 
5*2 inches, wing 2*2, tail 2*3. Iris hazel; upper mandible 
brown, lower horn-colour; legs and feet flesh-colour. 
91. Pinarornis plumosus Sharpe. 
It was at Mesanangue, a small village some 30 miles above 
Tete, that we had the good fortune to find examples of this 
rare species, hitherto only known from the type in the 
British Museum (see Cat. B. vii. p. 401, pi. ix.). A pair 
were observed, and these frequented a bush-grown kopje 
near the river and bordering a mealie-field. It was towards 
evening when we first discovered them busy feeding among the 
dried-up corn-stalks, and their remarkable appearance soon 
riveted our attention. On being approached they retreated 
quickly towards their favourite haunt among the clefts of some 
large rocks. Both in appearance and action they reminded us 
very much of our Blackbird. After obtaining the female 
the male seldom showed himself, and then only to run back 
again into his rocky retreat on our approach. Although we 
searched carefully every nook and hollow we failed to drive 
him out ] he must have retreated into some inaccessible hole 
