THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 473 



parallel of northern latitude. Whether its breeding range extends 

 bej'ond this limit is unknown ; Captain Feildcn does not mention 

 it among the birds observed by him between 78° and 83° 6' N. 

 latitude. During its autumn migration it advances to latitudes 

 very far south, and has even been met with in winter in Australia. 



269. — Lapwing [Kibitz]. 



CHARADRIUS VANELLUS, Wagler.i 



Heligohmdish : Kih\tt= Lajnoiwj. 

 Charadrms vanellus. Naumann, vii. 269. 



Lainmng. Dresser, vii. 545. 



Vamuau huppc. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 550, iv. 362. 



As one might suspect, a bird so common as the Lapwing is 

 of quite ordinary occurrence on this island, old birds being as 

 abundant in spring as in autumn. In spring, they are among 

 the earliest arrivals, solitary individuals being seen sometimes as 

 early as the middle of February, before the departure of frost 

 and snow. Young birds are often found so early as the end of June 

 and throughout July in large numbers; in 1881, for example, on 

 the 23rd of July, and again in 1885, on the 2l9t of the same 

 month, my jourxial describes them as present in 'hundreds.' They 

 are fond of running about on the potato-plots, where, covered by 

 the stelks, their voices only announce their presence. Many can 

 scarcely be called fuU-gi-own, the feathers of theii- heads and the 

 backs of their necks being mixed with down, and bearing the 

 frayed remains of their earlier dress. Moreover, most of them are 

 not sufficiently advanced in education to be able to pronounce 

 their own name — [i.e. Kibitt (English sound Kee-hitt)]. 



The Lapwing occurs as breeding species throughout the whole of 

 central and northern Europe and Asia. 



270.— Stone Curlew [Dickfus.s]. 



CHARADRIUS CEDICNEMUS, Linn.^ 

 Heligolandish : Dickfuss = Thichfoot. 

 fKdicncmus crepitans. Nuumann, vii. 92. 



Stono Ciwleio. Dresser, vii. 401. 



CEdifimme criard. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 521, iv. 348. 



This peculiar bird is of very rare occurrence in Heligoland. 

 This need not cause surprise, because southern Holstein marks the 

 northern limit of its nesting stations, and only rare stragglers are 

 1 Vandlus vulgans, Bechat. ' (Edicnemus scolepax, S. G. Gmelin. 



