lined with fine, soft tendrils; they were built in thorn-bushes, and
placed from twelve to eighteen inches above the ground.”
In a letter received from Mr. Ortlepp, that gentleman observes,
“ These birds have the habit of cocking up their tails for a second or
two after settling on a branch, uttering a short lively note and dancing
about very much like our common A. coryphoea, which they
resemble in general habits.”
Head brown; neck rusty-grey; anterior half of back ruddy-
brown ; hinder part of back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and the basal
two-thirds of tail, clear reddish-orange; last third of tail-feathers,
liver-brown, edges rusty, four outer ones of each side broadly tipped
with white; chin and throat dull white : breast, belly, and vent, pale
cream-yellow. Length, 6"; wing, 2" 9"; tail, 2" 9"'.
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 50.
a. with ten tail-feathers (Drymceca).
240. D rymceca flavicans . Black-chested Grass-Warbler.
Plate Yin.
Drymoica pectoralis and D. pallida, Layard, B. S. Air. p. 86.
The principal character which distinguishes this long-tailed
Grass-Warbler is the yellow coloration of the under surface which
exists at all ages : the tail-feathers also never have a subterminal
blackish spot, which prevents the species being mistaken for B.
affinis, or B. maculosa. The plate represents three of the plumages
of this bird, but it has not yet been satisfactorily proved whether the
black chest-band is a sign of age or is merely a seasonal plumage; it
seems certain, however, that the young birds never have it, and
therefore it is probably peculiar to the adults, but by the gradual
way in which it seems to be assumed, we conjecture that it is worn
only during a certain season of the year.
Sir Andrew Smith discovered the first specimens of this species
near Latakoo. We have received it from Mr. T. 0. Atmore from
the neighbourhood of Hopetown, but as yet we have not seen a
specimen from Natal, though Mr. Gurney recorded it as occurring in
Mr. Ayres' early collections. In the Transvaal, however, it is mnch
more numerous, and our excellent friend, Dr. Exton, has just
forwarded us several specimens procured in the vicinity of Potchef-
stroom. Mr. Ayres writes : “ This delicate little bird is common
D R Y M C E C A F L A V I C A N S .