pared it with a specimen in Mr. Dresser’s collection, with which it
entirely agrees. This is no doubt tho species mentioned by Mr.
Gurney (Ibis, 1865, p. 266) as ‘ 0. arnndinacoa (Gm.) ? ’ ” The
notes given by Mr. T. Ayres on the last-named specimen are
transcribed below, and we agree with Captain Shelley that the
species there spoken of is A. pcilustris. Mr. Ayres observes:—
“ These birds frequent the sedgy pools and streams inland; they
appear to be tolerably numerous; their habits are active, their notes
loud and not unmusical. The specimen sent I shot in December: I
did not notice any last winter (July) when I was shooting in the
same locality, but still I think they must have been somewhere in
the neighbourhood.”
Whether A. palustris is a species distinct from A. slreperus is a
question not yet determined by ornithologists. As regards the
occurrence of a second species of Reed Wren in South Africa it
does not much matter, as the proportions of the quills are the same
in both European species, and the birds should be looked for during
the summer months in South Africa.
The following description is taken from Captain Shelley’s specimen
above mentioned.
General colour above uniform olivaceous brown : wing-coverts
uniform with the back: quills dark brown, externally edged with
olivaceous brown, the edges to the secondaries rather more fulves-
cent, all the primaries with a narrow whitish tip, confined in most
cases to a slight terminal edging, which is almost obsolete in the
secondaries: tail-feathers dark brown, slightly fulvescent at tip
and washed on both webs with olivaceous brown : lores pale buff,
extending backwards and forming a faint eyebrow : round the eye a
ring of pale fulvous plumes : in front of the eye a dusky spot rear-
coverts brown, with indistinct light shaft-streaks : cheeks and under
surface of body light tawny buff, paler on the centre of the abdomen:
throat white : sides of the body somewhat shaded with brown: under
wing-coverts white, some of the outermost shaded with pale tawny
buff, as is also the edge of the wing: “ beak flesh-colour, shading
into brown. on the culmen: legs flesh-colour with a slight livid
shade : iris hazel” {G. E. Shelley). Total length, 5’5 inches; culmen,
0 5 5 ; wing, 2-75; tail, 2-3 ; tarsus, 0-85.
Fig. Gould, B. Gt. Br. part xxi.
270. A orocbpiialus scihosnobanus. European Sedge-Warbler.
The Common Sedge Warbler of Europe has only as yet been met
with in Damara Land as far as regards the limits of the present
work. Mr. Andersson thus records the circumstances of its capture
:—“ I obtained two specimens on December 22nd, 1866, at
Otjimbinque in the bed of the river, amongst some ‘ cotton-plants,’
on which, and on the ground, they were hopping about in search of
insects: they were new to me.” We have seen two specimens from
the Congo district, obtained by M. Louis Petit, so that the line of
migration probably lies along the west coast. The following
description is from one of Mr. Andersson’s specimens.
General colour above fulvous brown, streaked with dusky brown
on the back, and with black on the head: rump tawny buff, the
upper tail-coverts brown with dusky centres: wings dark brown,
all the feathers edged with fulvous brown, the primaries with somewhat
ashy brown: tail-feathers dark brown with lighter fulvous
brown edgings, the outer feathers lighter : lores and a distinct eyebrow
yellowish buff : in front of the eye a dusky spot: ear-coverts
brown washed with fulvous : cheeks and under surface of body
yellowish buff inclining to tawny on the flanks and thighs, and to
brown on the sides of the upper breast: throat and centre of
abdomen buffy white : under wing-coverts ashy whitish washed with
yellow on the edge of the wing: “ upper mandible darx horn-colour,
the lower brownish, but both yellowish at the edge: gape bright
orange yellow: legs and toes livid brown : iris dark brown” (Andersson).
Total length, 4‘5 inches; culmen, 0-55; wing, 2‘5 ; tail,
1'75; tarsus, 0‘85.
Fig. Gould, B. Eur., pi. 110.
277. Camaroptera olivaoea. ’ Grey-backed Bush-Warbler.
Oalamodyta olivacea, Layard, B. S. Afr., p. 98.
We have only seen this species ourselves from the neighbourhood
of Graham’s Town, but it has also been found in Natal by Mr. T.
Ayres, and the latter gentleman gives the following account of it in
that colony :—“ The Caffres call this bird “ Imboos Ischlaty” (signifying
“ bush goat”), from its curious notes when it sees an object
of suspicion or dislike, which much resemble the bleating of a kid
at a distance, although the tiny bird may be within a few feet of the