314 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



127. — Grasshopper Warbler [Heuscheecken-Rohesanger]. 

 SYLVIA LOCUSTELLA, Latliam.i 

 Heligolandish : Bread-Stiitjed Sullen-Kr(iper= Broad-tailed Seed Warbler. 

 Sylvia locustella. Naumann, iii. 701. 



Gi-asshopper Warbler. Dresser, ii. 611. 

 Bee-fin Locustelle. Temminck, Manuel, i. 184, iii. 112, iv. 613. 



There is hardly a bird here which seems less restricted to a 

 particular period of migration than this Reed Warbler. I have 

 obtained it m March, April, May, July, August, September, and 

 even repeatedly in October, though the majority naturally were 

 obtained in May and August. Invariably only solitary samples are 

 met with, although the bird doubtlessly occurs nuich more 

 t'rcfjuently than would appear, inasmuch as it is a quiet and retired 

 creature, attracting very little notice. In the sjjring one only meets 

 with it in the darkest bushes where it glides about close to or on 

 the ground among the lowest twigs, which are penetrated by a 

 luxuriant growth of the long grass of the previous year. During 

 the return migration it frequents the potato- and cabbage-plots, 

 where it is seen with still greater ditficulty, and iia fact only 

 accidentally. 



This bird always looks very pretty, clean and neat, especially 

 when, thinking that it is being watched, it hops along in long 

 bounds with its tail cocked up above its wings. Drawing under 

 such conditions its feathers tightly against its body, its slender 

 figure gives one the impression that its legs are much longer than 

 they really are. 



The breeding range of this species appears to extend from 

 England and France through Central Europe to the Ural. In the 

 north it does not reach as far as the south of the Scandinavian 

 peninsula. 



128. — River Warbler [FLuss-RoHRsiNGEK]. 

 SYLVIA FLUVIATILIS, Wolf.^ 



Sylvia fl'Uriatilis. Naumann, iii. 694. 



Miver Warbler. Dresser, ii. 621. 



Bee-fin riverain. Temminck, Manuel, i. 183, iii. 1 1 1. 



It has not as yet been my good fortune to obtam this bird in 

 Heligoland. Reymers once possessed an example shot by himself, 

 but that was at a time when I had not commenced to collect on 



' Locustella navia (Bodd). " Locustella flurialilis (Wolf). 



