107 
Even supposing that birds become exhausted before accomplishing 
the passage across the ocean, observations I have made in the vici- 
nity of this island have fully convinced me that small birds, such as 
Thrushes, Buntings, Finches, &c., are able to rest on the sea—even 
when a little in motion—and afterwards to resume and pursue their 
flight with fresh vigour. Of this I shall give the particulars further 
on; but, for the present, return to the above question, by giving an 
instance of endurance on the wing of a species which, with pretty 
good certainty, may be said every spring to perform in the period of 
one night a flight of more than 1200 geographical miles; namely, 
from Egypt to Heligoland—the bird in question being a particular 
form of Blue-throated Warbler, Sylvia ceerulecula, Pallas. 
This pretty little bird, noted not at all either for rapidity or great 
endurance of flight, has its summer quarters in the high northern 
latitudes of Sweden, Finland, and Siberia, whereas during the winter 
months it is staying principally in Egypt. On its spring migration, 
which takes place during the earlier half of May, the first place 
north of Egypt where it is to be found with certainty in pretty con- 
siderable numbers is Heligoland. Nowhere in the whole intermediate 
- distance is it met with but as a great rarity—not even on the neigh- 
bouring north coast of Germany—whilst here in Heligoland I have 
oftentimes obtained it in such numbers that more than twenty of the 
finest adult male birds have been bought by me in one day, and per- 
haps the same number by the bird-stuffers of the island. The fore- 
going admits of one conclusion only, namely, that this little bird per- 
forms the passage from Egypt to Heligoland in one uninterrupted 
flight, travellmg—as many of the other small Insectivore do— 
during the night, starting towards sunset and arriving here about sun- 
rise, or a little later, the time occupie being from twelve to fourteen 
hours. The distance from Egypt to Heligoland being about 400 
geographical miles less than that between Newfoundland and Ireland, 
the rate of flight of this delicate little bird may be put down the same 
as that rendered by the above-mentioned Carrier-Pigeon, and con- 
sequently furnishes a further proof that a healthy well-flying bird is 
able to cross from the nearest point of America to Ireland without 
rest or any extraordinary support whatever. 
In the foregoing I alluded to the aptness of non-natatorial birds of 
resting, in case of exhaustion, on the sea, and of rising from it after 
having recovered sufficient strength to resume their flight ; and that 
at times too, when the water is far from being unruffied. This state- 
ment is based on the following observations. One day, when out in a 
boat shooting, about two or three miles from Heligoland, I observed 
a very small bird swimming on the water. Neither the boatman nor 
myself being able to discern what species it belonged to, we became 
very eager to secure the stranger—conjecturing that it would turn 
out to be some wonderful rarity. When preparing to fire, I fortu- 
nately discovered that the expected prize was nothing but a Song- 
thrush! Immediately our desire to kill was changed into compassion : 
the “poor Thrush” in so piteous a situation was to be “saved.” 
But how great was our astonishment, when, upon the approach of the 
