THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 491 



gable investigator, the late Mr. John W'ollej-, brought the first eggs 

 from Lapland, where he discovered several nests on the Tundras of 

 Muonioniska in lat. 68° K, and Von Middendorff found it breeding on 

 the Boganida in 70' N. latitude. According to Seebohm, however, 

 it breeds also in Norway, on the Dovretjeld, in 63° N. lat. above the 

 zone of trees — the climate in these regions being probably similar 

 to that of its other high northern breeding places. 



Sandpiper — Totanus. — -Among the numerous families of Waders 

 and shore-birds distinguished by beauty of form and grace of 

 motion, the genus of the Sandpipers occupies the most prominent 

 place. So light and graceful is their gait that they hardly seem 

 to touch the ground in walking, or at most only with the tips of 

 their toes. Their flight also proceeds in a most graceful and 

 dexterous manner, and under certain conditions may, by the aid 

 of a few powerful beats of their long and narrow wings, be accele- 

 rated to a tremendous speed. The genus is rich in species, which 

 are distributed over all j^arts of the earth. Seven of these are 

 resident in Europe, in addition to which two or three American 

 species have been observed as rare visitors : of these latter, Totanus 

 macularms has once been shot in Heligoland. 



The Heligolandish name for Sandpiper is ' Juhlgutt ' ; Totanus 

 hypoleucos, however, is known as ' Soaltpieper ' = Saltpiper. 



280.— Redshank [Eothfussiger Wasseklaufer]. 



TOTANUS CALIDRIS, Linn. 



Heligolandish : Road-futted Jah]g\itt = Eed-footed Sandpiper. 



Totanus Calidris. Naumann, viii. 95. 



Redshank. Dresser, viii. 157. 



Chevalier gambette. Temiuinck, Manuel, ii. 643, iv. 413. 



The young birds of this species, in company with those of the 

 Ringed Plover, form the van of the mighty hosts of large and small 

 Waders which, during the autumn migration, cross and pass this 

 island on their way to their distant winter quarters. The call-notes 

 of these birds — in the case of the Redshank, a soft ' Djtl — ii — ii,' and 

 in that of the Ringed Plover a more long-drawn ' Tiiiih," — may be 

 heard, more especially diiring the earlier hours of fine warm 

 mornings at the beginning of July, and even as early as the last 

 days of June : but the callers travel at siich altitudes that they 

 scarcely appear larger than small dots, while frequently even the 



