144 Dr. O. Finscli on a neio Reed-Warbler. 



of which I have before me two specimens from the Ruck 

 group (Hogoleu)^ Central Carolines, is nearly the same as in 

 C. rehsei ; but C. syrinx is a quite different species^ as is shown 

 by its narrow, slender, and much longer bill. 



In regard to the habits of this new species I must refer to 

 No. VII. of my " Ornithological Letters from the Pacific " 

 (Ibis, I. c), concerning the island of Nawodo, or Pleasant 

 Island of the South-Sea people, which I visited on July 24th, 

 1880, being the first naturalist who ever landed on its shores. 

 This island has been elevated by submarine forces, and con- 

 sists only of coral-rock, but bears a more luxuriant vegetation 

 than the pure low coral islands or atolls. Nawodo, situated in 

 0° 25' S. lat., and 167° 5' E. long., is peculiar for its isolated 

 position. The nearest land is Bonaba, or Ocean Island, 180 

 sea-miles south-east, which, according to my information (as 

 I had not an opportunity of visiting the island myself) , has a 

 similar character ; but this bird does not occur there. The 

 same is the case with Ebon (or Boston Island), about 500 

 miles north, where, as in the rest of the Marshall and Gilbert 

 groups, no land-bird exists at all. The other islands near to 

 Nawodo are, to the south, the Santa-Cruz group, about 800 

 nautical miles distant, to the south-west Ontang-Java or Lord 

 Howe's group, about the same, and more nearly due west 

 New Ireland (over 1500), to the east Nonouti, in the Gilbert 

 group (about 700), and to the north-west Kuschai. It 

 will be seen from this that Nawodo is very isolated; and 

 the occurrence o£ a notoriously bad-flying bird, such as 

 this Calanioherpe, may make us wonder how this species origi- 

 nally came there. 



In relation to this point I may add that I shall have to 

 publish hereafter a lot of interesting facts regarding the geo- 

 graphical distribution of animals, chiefly birds — a subject 

 which, I must confess, has always had a greater interest 

 to my mind than the discovery of a new species. 



Bremen, January, 1883. 



