488 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



throstle-bush. Though such occurrences are rare, they nevertheless 

 seem to show that in some cases the birds begin to pair even during 

 their home passage, or it may be that pairs of the previous year 

 meet again on their way to the nesting haunts. During the autumn 

 passage, on the other hand, each individual travels separately, and 

 however many of the birds may be engaged on migration, they 

 never show the least tendency to join in companies ; in fact, I know 

 of no bird which shows so little concern for others of his own species 

 which he may happen to meet in the course of his travels. 



In conclusion, I must mention a peculiar and very ancient 

 custom which dates from the time of the Danish Landvogts, and 

 has been handed down to the English governors. This supreme 

 authority of our island receives as a tribute, on the part of the 

 community, the first Woodcock which is killed during the spring 

 and autumn migrations. Inasmuch as it is equally old usage to 

 purchase this firstling by the payment of a dollar from the 

 public treasury, every gunner and net-owner on the island is 

 eagerly bent on winning the honour of the prize. 



This ' Eaast Snepp ' may be delivered on any day on or after the 

 1st of March and 1st of October, and should a gunner have suc- 

 ceeded in killing the bird on one of the dates mentioned, or any 

 day following, however early it be in the morning, he will run as 

 fast as his legs will carry him to the ' Landes-Kassenmeister ' 

 (public ti'easurer), knock that dignitarj^ up from his slumbers, and 

 hand over to him the bird of honour. 



The breeding range of the Woodcock is one of extraordinary 

 dhnensions, extending fi'om the Azores, Canaries, and Madeira, 

 through Europe and Asia as far as Japan. Its northern limit is 

 defined in Scandinavia by the 65th parallel of N. latitude, but in 

 eastern Siberia is said not to advance beyond 60° N. latitude. — 

 (Seebohm, British Birds.) 



277.— Great Snipe [Grosse Sumpfschnepfe]. 

 SCOLOPAX MAJOR, Gmelin.i 



Heligolandish : Groot Tscliaker. Tschakcr, Heligolandish name for Snipe. 



Scolopax major. Nauuiann, viii. 291. 



Double Bnipe. Dresser, vii. 631. 



Becassine double. Temuiiiick, Manuel, ii. 675, iv. 430. 



Of its four European congeners, the present species visits 

 Heligoland in the fcAvest numbers ; this more especially applies to 

 the spring migration, during the whole course of which hardly more 

 ' Oaliinago major (Ginel. ). 



