Mr. H, Seebolim on the Ornithology of Heligoland. 163 



rio, Ehr. When the wing is expanded it shows no trace of 

 white. 



The example of Acrocephalus certhiola (Pallas) agrees ex- 

 actly with specimens in Lord Tweeddale^s collection^ except 

 that the under surface is somewhat more streaked^ probably 

 a sign of immaturity. 



Since Mr. Cordeaux's paper was written a very interesting 

 bird has been added to Gaetke's collection^ shot on 22nd June 

 1875. It is a Goatsucker, exactly identical with Severtzoff^s 

 type of Caprimulgus arenicolor (Ibis, 1875, p. 491) . In the 

 British Museum is a skin from Egypt agreeing both with 

 Severtzoff's and Gaetke's birds in length of wing and pro- 

 portion of primaries. In Capt. Shelley^s collection are skins of 

 Caprimulgus agyptius, Licht. (of which C. isabellinus, Temm., 

 is a synonym), considerably smaller than the above-named 

 birds, and slightly varying in the proportion of primaries; 

 but there are also intermediate forms, leading to the inevi- 

 table conclusion that C. agyptius, C. isabellinus, and C. are- 

 nicolor are synonyms of one species. 



Mot acilla vidua, Sundevall, of Cordeaux, Ibis, 1875, p. 180, 

 is incorrectly named. The bird shot 18th May 1866, is an 

 undoubted M. lugubris. 



Ruticilla mesoleuca (Hempr. et Ehr.) . There is a fine male 

 of this bird, shot 12th June 1864, in the collection. 



Among the examples of Lanius excubitor in Gaetke^s studio 

 are two birds which differ from that species in having only 

 one instead of two bars on the wing. The basal portion of 

 the primaries is white ; but the secondaries are black or dark 

 brown throughout, except that at the apex they are more or 

 less tipped with white. One bird has no trace of cross-barring 

 on the underparts ; but the other bird is slightly barred. 

 These birds appear to agree exactly with Pallas^s description 

 of Lanius major. In Dresser^s collection and in the British 

 Museum are similar skins collected by Robson near Constan- 

 tinople. Whether this form be really a distinct species I do 

 not pretend to decide. It appears to be intermediate between 

 L. excubitor and the American L. borealis. 



The Red-tailed Shrike, identified by Blasius as Lanius 



