COURSE OF MIGRATION IN HELIGOLAND 17 



on the numbers of bird-life, not however by means of net and gun, 

 but rather by the increasing cuUivation of the soil, which roots out 

 every bush and shrub, great or small, as a useless obstacle, and thus 

 robs the bird of even the last natural protection of its nest. Having 

 thus driven the poor creatures into distant and less densely populated 

 districts, we complain that we no longer hear then- merry song, 

 unconscious of the fact that we are ourselves responsible for the 

 cause. 



November has a distinct and peculiar character of its own. 

 Its short, raw, and cold days now drive even the more northern 

 species of land- and sea-birds from their homes. Among the former, 

 large flocks of that very boisterous bird, the Snow Bunting, assume 

 a particularly prominent place ; next to these. Mealy Redpoles 

 arrive in smaller or greater companies, which are sometimes swelled 

 to countless numbers. The Linnet and Greentinch appear in large 

 numbers, but of the Hawfinch only solitary examples are seen. 

 Scattered examples of the Common and Yellow Buntings are also 

 met with. Shorelarks migrate daily in large numbers, reaching 

 to hundreds of thousands. Large numbers of Rock Pipits frequent 

 the shmgle and the rocks by the seashore overgrown with sea-tang, 

 and side by side with them the dull-coloured Purple Sandpiper 

 makes its appearance. 



Of October visitors solitary examples of the Great Shrike 

 (Lanius iruijor), with simple white speculum, are still met with. 

 Hooded Crows, Starlings, Fieldfares, and Redwings continue to 

 migrate as late as the middle of the month. Of Blackbirds, only old 

 examples are still met with. Skylarks still migrate in masses by 

 day and during the night; but the pretty Woodlark leaves in only 

 small companies. The Golden Plover, the Common Curlew, Oyster- 

 catcher, and iJunlin still migrate in thousands during dai-k nights, 

 while during the day larger or smaller flights of different species of 

 Wild Geese and freshwater Ducks hasten past with uninterrupted 

 speed. Among exceptional occurrences, at this time, one may ex- 

 pect the beautiful, large, eastern form of the Northern Bullfinch 

 (Pyrrhula major), the Waxwing, and now and again an old 

 Richard's Pipit, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, or a northern Black- 

 bellied Dipper. 



Among the Birds of Prey which now make their appearance, the 

 Sea Eagle may be seen circling about in the air, especially during 

 an east wind ; most of these are young birds, — old birds with pure 

 white tail being counted among the greatest rarities. Strange to 

 say, for the first time, the few examples of the Hen Harrier and of 

 Montagu's Harrier, which ever occur here at all, are usuallj- 

 observed this month, the majority being brown birds. Old blue 



B 



