Wo have examined the typical specimen of Gisticola elegans of
Messrs. Hartlaub and Finsch, which we find to be only the female of
G. tinniens.
The following is a description of this identical specimen kindly
lent to ns by the Bremen Museum.
Head and nape entirely rufous, with the exception of the centre
of the crown, which is obscured by broad streaks of dull black;
back black, slightly streaked with pale ashy buff, some of the
feathers edged with this colour; the wing-coverts also black, broadly
edged with ashy fulvous slightly inclining to rufous; quills brown,
broadly margined with dull rufous, so that the external aspect of
the wing is of this colour, the inner secondaries black like the back,
and margined in the same way with fulvous; lower back and upper
tail-coverts black, with very broad margins of sandy or rufous buff;
tail-feathers brown in the centre broadly margined with dull rufous,
all but the two centre feathers having a broad bar of blackish before
a pale fulvescent tip, the outermost edged with pale fulvous externally
; lores and a very distinct eyebrow pale rufous buff; sides
of face light fulvous, with a few whitish streaks on the ear-coverts,
the hinder margin of which-incline to rufous like the sides of the
neck; throat and under parts generally fulvescent as also the cheeks,
on the latter being a few indications of dusky tips to the feathers;
the chest and sides of the body darker and more ashy fulvous, the
sides of the breast and flanks very broadly streaked with black,
extremely pronounced on the flanks; under tail-coverts uniform
ashy fulvous; thighs orange rufous; under wing-coverts pale tawny
buff; “ bill black, the lower mandible reddish, but black at the
extremity; legs pale flesh-colour; iris brown” (Andersson). Total
length, 5 inches; culmen, 045; wing, 1'95; tail, 2T5; tarsus, 0'8.
The male is a little larger, and measures : total length, 5'4 inches;
wing, 2T5; tail, 2‘55; tarsus, 0-85.
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 73, fig. 2.
251. C isticola sub euficapil la. Small Grey-backed Fantail.
Drymoica subrujicapilla, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 91.
This Warbler may be distinguished by its grey back and rufous
head, both distinctly streaked with black down the centre of the
feathers; the sides of the body are grey.
Its range is very restricted, as it seems to be confined to the
Cape Colony, not ranging higher north than Little Namaqua
Land. It is not uncommon near Cape Town, and Mr. Andersson
met with it at the Knysna. From George Mr. H. Atmore has forwarded
it, and Mr. W. Atmore from Swellendam. We have ourselves
seen it along the river Zonder End, and obtained it at the
Berg River. Mr. Rickard possesses one shot by himself near Port
Elizabeth, and another from near East London. The late Mr.
Andersson also met with it in Little Namaqua Land. Mr. H.
Jackson has sent its eggs from Nefls Poort: the latter are
white, faintly tinged with green, and dotted with small red-brown
and purple spots, chiefly in the form of a ring at the obtuse end.
Axis, 7'"; diam. 5J///.
Sir Andrew Smith writes :—“ This bird occurs in various districts
of the Cape Colony, and is either found upon brushwood or among
rushes or reeds. It feeds upon insects, and, like others of the
genus, flits generally from branch to branch or from reed to reed in
quest of its food.”
The following description is taken from the type-specimen in the
British Museum.
Adult.—Above ashy brown, all the feathers of the back streaked
down the centre with black, the head rufous with less distinct mesial
streaks of black, becoming still more obscure on the hind neck,
where the rufous shades off into the ashy grey of the back; wing-
coverts dark brown, margined with the same ashy grey as the back,
the greater series faintly washed with rufous; quills dull brown,
externally edged with rufous, the inner secondaries margined all
round with ashy grey; tail rufous brown, margined with fulvous,
tipped with dull white or rufous, before which is a distinct bar of
black on all except the two centre feathers; lores and a narrow eye-brow
dull white; round the eye a tiny ring of buff feathers; sides of face
dull white, browner on the ear-coverts; entire under surface of body
dirty white, the sides of the body and under tail-coverts ashy brown,
the breast with a few small spots of brown; thighs tawny buff;
under wing-coverts buffy white, the lower surface of the wing
broadly edged with rufous along the inner web. Total length,
5 inches; culmen, 0-5; wing, 2‘05; tail, 2'2 ; tarsus, 0'7.
We have not had under our eyes a female of this species, but it
will probably be smaller than the above measurements.
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 76, fig. 1.