Mr. H. Seebohra on the Ornithology of Heligoland. 165 



the throat than the skins of this species in Dresser's collec- 

 tion^ which he kindly allowed me to take to Heligoland for 

 comparison ; otherwise it agrees exactly. 



Amongst the immature specimens of Carpodacus Mr. Sharpe 

 identified both C. roseus and C. erythrinus. 



Of the American species in the collection the two examples 

 of Anthus ludovicianus agree exactly with American skins. 

 The specimen of Dendi^ceca v'lrens is in very perfect plumage, 

 and does not show any signs of having been in captivity. A 

 specimen of the American Rice-Bunting [Dolichonyx oryzi- 

 vorus) was also shot on the island ; but the wings and tail 

 are so much broken that there is every probability of its 

 having escaped from a cage. 



There is one example of Charadrius virginicus, and three of 

 Charadrius longipes, iii the collection. The two species seem 

 to be very distinct. In both the axillaries are ashy grey. In 

 C. longipes the wing measures 6'3 inches, the tail 2'4, the 

 tarsus 1*7, end of secondaries to end of wing "44 ; the second- 

 aries reach within '12 of the end of the third primary; and 

 the first and second primaries are of equal length. In C 

 virginicus the wing measures 7'6, the tail 2*7, the tarsus 1"8, 

 end of secondaries to end of wing 1"85 ; the secondaries reach 

 to the end of the fifth primary ; and the first primary is '6 

 longer than the second. 



Of the two specimens oiEadromias asiaticus one is adult and 

 the other young. In both birds the axillaries are pure white. 



There are several other birds which there is every reason 

 to believe have been seen on Heligoland — for example, Em- 

 beriza liiteola, Parus kamschatkensis, Phylloscopus fuscatus, 

 Phylloscopus tristis, &c. 



The records of the appearance of these birds will find a 

 fitting place in Mr. Gaetke's book. The evidence of a marine 

 artist, trained to catch a fleeting effect of form and colour 

 and fix it in his memory, to be transferred to canvas, is of 

 an entirely diff'erent rank to that of the ordinary sportsman 

 or collector ; but in an article for a severely scientific journal 

 it will be wisest to content ourselves with quoting the witti- 

 cism of the ''Old Bushman '': — What is hit is history, ivhat 

 is missed is mystery. 



SER. IV. VOL. I. N 



