324 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



turbable good temper ; for in dull wet weather or cold snow-storms, 

 when most of our feathered friends, sadly dejected in spirit and 

 with feathers all awry, appear to be hopmg for better times, this 

 tiny httle fellow alone flits about as cheerfully and actively as ever, 

 and by its merry caU-note, and the vivacious glance of its bright 

 eyes, seems to ' snap its fingers ' at all discomforts ; should, however, 

 a stray gleam of sunshine penetrate the gloom of the dull winter 

 day, we shall forthwith find our little friend sitting on a stone m 

 front of one of the grottos at the bottom of the clitl', joyfullj^ giving 

 utterance to some few strophes of its modest song. 



Although the Wren has not jet been found nesting on this 

 island, it is to be met with throughout the whole year, excepting in 

 the summer months, when the business of breeding keeps it away. 

 In the winter it frequents the hoUows and ravines at the base of 

 the cliff. 



The breeding range of this httle bird extends fi'om Portugal to 

 Japan, reachmg in Scandinavia as far as 65° X. latitude. 



Stonechat — Sa.ricoln. — Despite the modest colours of the plumage 

 of all members of this genus, the markings are very attractive, 

 and the birds display much sprightliness and elegance m all their 

 habits and movements. The genus comprises about five-and-twenty 

 species, ahnost aU of which belong to southern latitudes ; only one, 

 Saxicola cenanthe, — in addition to the two species, S. rubetra and 

 S. rubicola, — is numerously represented as a resident breeding species 

 in northern Europe, and visits Heligoland in large numbers during 

 both migration periods. Besides this species, three other south 

 European, one Afi'ican, and one Asiatic species, have been kiUed 

 here; the two last, S. deserti and S. morio, being at that time new 

 to Europe. 



137. — Common Wheatear [Gkauer Steinschmatzer]. 

 SAXICOLA (ENANTHE, Linn. 



Heligolandish : Ohlen ; Ohl--wittstiit^ed= White-tailed Sto7iechat. 

 Saxicola cenanthe. Naumann, iii. S63. 

 Common TFheatear. Dresser, ii. 187. 

 Traque moteux. Temminck, Maiiucl, i. 237, iii. 164. 



This apparently confident but nevertheless extremely cautious 

 bird is distributed over the whole of Europe up to the extreme 

 north, and is resident within the same parallels of latitude through- 



