178 Capt. H. Lynes on the Habits and 



Mr. Pycraft some spirit specimens, wliicli are still engaging 

 his attention. 



Unfortunately, except for two days in June (when a nest 

 with five eggs and one of the parents were obtained) and balf 

 a day in July, the 'Cadmus^ was always employed elsewhere 

 during summer and autumn, so that no information could 

 be obtained as to the nestlings or autumn moult; never- 

 theless, with Mr. Pycraft's results, which will appear in due 

 course, there will be sufficient material to enable one to make 

 a more comprehensive survey of the '' Crow-Tit '^ type and of 

 the life-history of P. heudei than has hitherto been possible, 

 and the accompanying remarks are made towards that end. 



From what is now known, it is evident that P. heudei is 

 one of those sedentary species, similar examples of which are 

 found in many parts of the world, whose range is restricted 

 ])y that of a certain special environment, presumably always 

 connected directly or indirectly with the maintenance and 

 reproduction of the species. 



In this case the special environment is found in the reed- 

 beds of the lower Yangtze. These consist of great areas, 

 both islands and tracts of alluvium lying along the river- 

 banks, covered with a dense growth of giant reeds rising from 

 ten to twenty feet high, and forming a region very distinct 

 from any of the surrounding types of country. It has 

 its own special character of bird-life winter and summer, 

 though the majority of its species are non-residents. 



At a rough estimate the reed-beds cover a total area of 

 about 200 square miles'^, 75 per cent, of which (including 

 one cluster of islands of 30 and two of 15 square miles ol 

 solid reed-groAvth) lies in the seventy-mile stretch of river 

 that includes the treaty-ports of Nanking and Chinkiang; 

 this constitutes the only known home of P. heudei. 



The remaining 25 per cent, of reed-area is much more 

 spread out, and is not known to be inhabited by P. heudei, 

 though it may perhaps turn out to be so, but outside the 

 reed-bed zone the species has never been observed, and 

 almost certainly does not occur. The distribution of the 

 * /. e., an area equal to that of the Isle of Wight. 



