quill feathers. Tarsi robust, scutellated anteriorly, entire behind: toes long
and moderately strong ; claws slender, pointed and much curved.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines. Inches. Lines
Length from the point of the bill to Length of the tarsus............ 0
the tip of the tail........... 4 11 of the outer toe . , . . ----- 0 3f
of the bill to the angle of the of the middle toe. . . . mouth....................... . H 0 6£ of flip inn
of the wings when folded . .
of the ta i l ...................
2 1
2 6
of the hinder toe . . . . 3
F emale.—Not known.
Inhabits various districts in the western division of the Cape Colony, and is found in situations
which abound with shrubs. It feeds upon insects, and searches for those both upon
underwood and on the ground, generally, however, on the former. It is also occasionally
observed among coarse grass or reeds, busily engaged climbing or flitting about in quest of
food.
A ves.'—P late LXXYI. F ig . 2 . (F emale.)
D. capite cerviceque. supra castaneis brunneo-striatis ; dorso pallide brunneo, subcinereo-variegato ;
partibus inferioribus flavo-cinereis, pectore leviter brunneo-notato ; rectricibus versus apicem
brunneo-fasciatis ; rostro castaneo profonde brunneo-umbrato ; tarsis rubro-brunneis ; pedibus flavo-
brunneis.
Longitudo e rostri apice ad basin caudse 3 une. 1 lin ; caudæ 2 une. 3 lin.
C olour.—The upper parts of the head and the back, and the sides of the
neck near to the head, light chesnut-brown, striped with umber-brown along
the centre of each feather; the lower parts of the hack and the sides of the
neck, the interscapulars, the lesser wing-coverts, and the back umber-brown,
variegated with a colour intermediate between ash-grey and broccoli-brown,
each feather being so broadly edged and tipped with the latter as even to
constitute it the predominant colour. Tail dull reddish brown, all the
feathers tipped with wood-brown, the two centre ones very faintly, and all
the others have, each, a broad transverse umber-brown bar immediately behind
the light tip. The primary and secondary wing-coverts umher-brown,
margined externally, and tipped with pale wood-brown; the primary, secondary,
and tertiary quill feathers intermediate, between brownish red and
umher-brown, the tertiaries darkest,—the primary and secondary feathers
towards the quills narrowly margined with light chesnut-brown; the
tertiaries are edged and tipped with wood-brown. Chin, throat, middle of
breast and belly pale yellowish grey, passing in some places into white, the
breast faintly freckled with pale brown; sides of breast, flanks, vent, and
under tail-coverts pale hair-brown. Bill chesnut-brown, shaded with umher-
brown, the lower mandible, towards its base, yellowish brown. Tarsi pale
reddish brown, passing towards toes into yellowish brown; claws yellowish
brown, tinted with light reddish brown.
F orm, &c.—Figure rather robust. Bill slender, slightly arched and pointed;
tail graduated, and in some specimens is much longer than in the one