232 THE BEARDED-TIT 



dislike wind, yet on a still winter's day, such a sight as Stevenson 

 graphically describes is by no means uncommon : " I have more than 

 once observed a flock from some neighbouring broad, their presence 

 overhead being indicated by the clear-ringing sound of their silvery 

 notes; and in autumn, after roosting in small parties on the reeds, 

 they will fly up simultaneously soon after sunrise, swarming for a 

 while like a flock of bees, uttering in full chorus their pretty song, 

 and then disperse themselves over the reed-beds for their morning's 

 meal. Delicate as these little creatures appear, I have found them 

 during the sharpest frosts, when the snipe had left the half-frozen 

 waters for upland springs and drains, still busy amongst the reed- 

 stems, as lively and musical as ever." J 



As with the crested-tit, there appears to be no reason why the 

 reed-pheasant should be so extremely local in its habitat ; but it does 

 not at any time seem to have had a wide range within the British 

 Isles, though it has been recorded in twenty-six counties, and prob- 

 ably bred in at least eleven. Some solution of the problem of its 

 limited distribution must surely be sought for in those far-away times, 

 when perhaps its present breeding area here was the most westerly 

 limit of its range. It is common enough in Holland, and in spite of 

 its feeble flight has been known to journey over seas, for Giitke records 

 it four times at Heligoland. 2 



The bearded-tit's manner of flying is peculiar. In a way it resembles 

 that of the longtailed-tit, but the similarity is due merely to the fact 

 that both species have long tails ; for while the longtailed-tit projects 

 itself through the air somewhat rapidly, the flight of the bearded-tit 

 is laboured, undulating, and slow. But the special point of interest in 

 the mechanism of this bird's flight, is the rhythmic double-movement 

 of the tail, which is spread out fanwise, and at almost the same moment 

 given a swift spiral twist This double movement is extremely rapid, 

 but very apparent, especially in windy weather though as the 

 bearded-tit dislikes wind, it seldom flies far in a rough breeze. 



1 Birds of Norfolk, vol. i. p. 151. 2 Gtttke's Heligoland, p. 419. 



