Critical examination of material of certain African cisticolas Cisticola spp. in the collection of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) (BMNH) during the course of a month's visit to that centre in October 1983, most of the speciments there having been collected by that great expert on the group in the years between the wars, the late Rear-Admiral Hubert Lynes, has revealed the desirability of recognising 3 additional subspecific taxa. These are formally described below. For facilities while working at Tring I here acknowledge my deep indebtedness to Mr I. C. J. Galbraith and Mr P. R. Colston of the staff, who courteously met my various requirements.