the Lower Yangtse Basin. 335 



Though naturally hili-birds, they sometimes stray into the 

 plains when good cover attracts them. I have seen them in 

 our garden, and shot them inside the walls of Kiukiang city, 

 also in the Kahing silk-districts. 



17. PoMATORHiNUs STYANi, Secbohm. 

 Pomatorhinus styani, Seebohm, Ibis, 1884, p. 263. 



This is the only Pomatorhine found in the district. 

 It occurs on all the hill -ranges, and occasionally on the 

 plains where there are thick bamboo-copses. Specimens 

 obtained at Ningpo, Hangchow, Ta-Hu Lake, Kiukiang, and 

 other points on the river are all exactly similar. (P. stri- 

 dvdus, Swinhoe, is a southern species, and does not extend 

 its range to the Yangtse.) It is probably an early breeder, 

 for a pair shot on 29th March had the testes and ovary well 

 developed. I have, however, met with them still in small 

 flocks early in April. An easy bird to attract by imitating 

 its plaintive flute-like call-note. 



18. Stachyridopsis ruficeps (Blyth). 



(328.) Stachyris prcecognitus, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1866, p. 310. 



Found on the Lushan Hills, Kiukiang, on the hills near 

 Hangchow, and probably on all the ranges along the Yangtse, 

 but it is such a shy, retiring bird that it easily escapes notice. 

 Its note reminds one o£ a Pomatorhine, and is remarkably 

 loud for the size of the bird. A restless bird, always on the 

 move among the wooded hill-sides. 



19. SUYA CRINIGERA, HodgSOU. 



(375.) Suya striata, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1862, p. 304. 



Plentiful on the low grassy hills about Kiukiang, where 

 it is resident, but appears more numerous in summer. Is 

 found at a considerable elevation on the hill-ranges. 



20. CiSTicoLA cisTicoLA (Tcmm.). 



(371.) Cisticola schoenicola, Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 352. 



A few birds of this species may be found in the Yangtse 

 valley in winter ; immense numbers appear in April to breed 

 and pass the summer with us. 



Their favourite resorts are the grassy plains ; when out 



2a2 



