444 -- BRITISH BIRDS. 
couple of skins to my friend Seebohm, who, a day or two afterwards, shot 
a third specimen in my garden, on the 5th of October 1876; and, finally, 
a specimen has found its way into the fine collection of Mr. Benzon in 
Copenhagen. Besides these I have given away two or three examples, 
but do not at this moment remember to whom; and four or five were so 
badly shot that it was absolutely impossible to prepare them. To this 
number must be added a couple of birds which were mounted by the Heli- 
golanders, and sold into private collections on the continent. 
“The time of migration of this Warbler commences on Heligoland 
about the last week of September, and lasts until the end of October, and 
sometimes extends to the first week of November. Like almost all 
Siberian birds which visit our island, it is very rarely seen in spring. As 
certainly as it may be expected in autumn with favourable wind and 
weather, so certainly search for it in the spring would be vain. During 
a period of careful observation extending over thirty years, I have only 
twice met with it at this season—once on April 25th, and once on 25th 
May. The former was a male in splendid plumage; but, unfortunately, it 
was so much injured with the shot that I was not able to skin it. 
“This bird chooses for its journey fine warm weather, with east or 
south-east wind. On the island it principally frequents the few willows 
in the gardens between the houses of the upper land. It hops about in 
these, as well as in the hawthorn, elder, and smaller shrubs, exactly like the 
Willow- Warbler and Chiffchaff, during which occupation it does not quiver 
its wings as the Goldcrests are in the constant habit of doing, even when 
they do not require to use them in flittmg from branch to branch. It is 
also a less restless bird than the Goldcrests, and does not, like them, hop 
about seemingly without aim or purpose ; but when it alights on a tree it 
begins at the lower branches and works away steadily up to the top 
searching for its insect food. 
“The bird seldom utters its note, generally only when flying away. It 
sounds like Ayiif, a little drawn out and softly spoken, slightly reminding 
one of the note of a Pipit. The note of the male is louder than that 
of the female. When surprised or alarmed the note is repeated two or 
three times in rapid succession and somewhat louder. 
“Tn all its habits this bird has little affinity with the Goldcrests with 
their restless nervous movements, during which their notes are almost 
constantly repeated. Nor does it resemble them in the loose texture of 
their plumage, in their well-known style of nest, or colour of eggs, in each 
of which particulars it is a true Willow-Warbler. I suppose that it was 
only the small size and the bars across the wings which originally suggested 
the idea that this bird must be a Regulus. Observations on living birds 
do not justify such a conclusion in the least. The first birds which were 
observed here were noted down in my journal as ‘ Sylvia (Ficedula) 
