120 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



this island by a flight from east to west ; hence it follows that this 

 species must be distributed, even if only locally and irregularly-, 

 throughout European and Asiatic Russia, as far north as the latitude 

 of Heligoland. Strange to say, solitary individuals of this bird have 

 made their appearance in Heligoland as late as November. 



The following is a list of south-eastern species which have 

 occurred here during the period over which my observations on 

 this island extend : — Eleonora Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Lesser 

 Kestrel, Rose-coloured Starling, Ixos xanthopygos ; Ehrenberg's 

 Redstart (Sylvia viesoleuca) ; Rufous Warbler (S. galactodes) ; 

 Orphean Warbler {S. orphea) ; Olivaceous Warbler (S. olivacea) ; 

 <S^. pallida, and Paddy-field Warbler ((S'. agricola); Black-eared 

 Chat (Saxicola aurita) ; Russet Chat (S. stapazina) ; Desert Chat 

 (.S'. deserti) ; and Eastern Pied Chat (S. niorio) ; Calandra Lark, 

 Black Lark {A. tatarica); Short-toed Lark (A. hraehydadyla): 

 and PaUas' Short-toed Lark {A. pispoletta) ; Black-headed Bunt- 

 ing {Eniberiza melanocephala), E. luteola, Cirl Bunting, Meadow 

 Bunting (E. cia), Cretzschmar's Bunting (E. ca'sia), and Large- 

 billed Reed Bunting {E. pyrrlndoides); Marsh Sandpiper (Totanus 

 stagnatilis) ; Black-winged Stilt, and perhaps some few others. 



The majoi'ity of these wayfarers, with the exception of those 

 mentioned previously, have only been observed here once. The 

 Desert Wheatear I have obtained three times, the Black-eared Chat 

 and Eastern Pied Chat, each on two occasions. 



Turning next to species whose homes lie far to the south of this 

 island, as in North or Central Africa, it is surprising to find what a 

 sudden difterence in the appearance of rare occurrences results 

 from a change of geographical situation, amounting to no more than 

 a few points of the compass. Contrary to the unexampled richness, 

 both as regards number of species and individuals, by which 

 countries far to the east and south-east of this island are represented 

 here, we are confronted with the greatest dearth, of both species 

 and individuals, which belong to more southerly situated areas. 

 Of pre-eminently African birds, only seven can be recorded as 

 distinguished visitors to this i.sland, each of these, moreover, being 

 represented by only one example. They are the Banner {Fcdco 

 tanypterus) ; the Moussier's Redstart {Sylvia {ruticiUa) Mous- 

 sieri); Egyptian Goatsucker {Caprimulgits arenicolor) ; the Bee- 

 eater, the Cream-coloured Courser, the Glossy Ibis, and the 

 Demoiselle Crane. This restricted appearance of southern species 

 in Heligoland becomes the more singular when compared with the 

 number of the same birds which have occurred in England. 



Thus, the Bee-eater visits England so abundantly that Harting 

 (Handbook of British Birds) no longer mentions it among the excep- 

 tional occurrences, but allots a place to it among the regular 



