180 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



It is surprising that only joung or middle-aged examples, with 

 the tails more or less darkly marked, are seen here. During the 

 long interval of forty years or more, an actuall}- white-tailed 

 Eagle has only been seen twice ; and it was only after waiting for 

 almost as many years that by a most lucky accident I secured, on 

 the 3rd of February 1875, a very old example, in full adult plumage, 

 for my collection — the bird having been found dead on Sandy 

 Island. 



The Sea Eagle is a resident breeding bird from Greenland 

 southwards to Scotland, and extends within the same parallels of 

 latitude to the most eastern parts of Asia. 



15. — Osprey [Flussadler]. 



FALCO HALIAETOS, Linn.i 

 Heligolandish : Fesk-oadlear = Fish Eagle. 

 Falco haliaitus. Naumann, i. 241. 

 Osprey. Dresser, vi. 139. 



Aigle halhuzard. Temminck, Manuel, i. 47, iii. 25. 



While the preceding is more especially a winter visitant on 

 Heligoland, the exact opposite has to be stated in regard to the 

 present species. In the spring it does not make its appearance 

 until the warm days of April and May. The gay-coloured young 

 birds appear in August and are followed by old birds during 

 September; all prefer a light warm south-east wind for their 

 journey. 



Excepting in the North and South Polar Regions, the Osprey is 

 distributed as a resident breeding species over all parts of the earth. 



16. — Short-toed Eagle [Schlangen abler]. 

 FALCO BRACHYDACTYLUS, Temminck." 



Falco brachydactylus. Naumann, 1. 236. 



Short-toed Eagle. Dresser, v. 563. 



Jea7i-le-blanc. Temminck, Manuel, i. 46, iii. 24. 



This interesting species has been shot in the island, unfortu- 

 nately some years before my time — Reymers having received an 

 example in 183.5, which he stufted and sold ; its white breast was 

 very sparingly spotted. Later, Claus Aeuckens saw a bird of this 

 species ^vith numerous veiy dark-coloured spots very close to him 

 on the edge of the cliff, but failed to get a shot at it, inasmuch as 



' Pajulion haliaetu.i (hinn.). - Circaetus gal/icus {Gme\.). 



