■2 2 A. CouEs, Giitkcs Heligoland. \ 



Auk 



)ct. 



The first thing that strikes us, on ciphering out the extra- 

 ordinary Ust, is the preponderance of land-birds over water-birds 

 which visit the sea-girt rock. The figures are 248 of the former 

 to 150 of the latter, or almost precisely as 3 : 2 — that is to say, 

 three-fifths of the population are land-birds, and two-fifths are 

 waders and swimmers. Such a proportion, for such a place, is 

 altogether exceptional ; we should expect only a fair sprinkling of 

 land-birds in an avifauna mainly represented by aquatic species. 



Another curious thing is, that Heligoland is the home of hardly 

 any birds. The natives cut no figure whatever in the society of 

 this very select spot — no more than New York's ' Four Hundred ' 

 do in the real life of that metropolis. Thus Gatke says (p. 577) : 

 " Of the nearly 400 species of birds comprised in the avifauna of 

 Heligoland only three species regularly, year after year, have made 

 their breeding home upon this island rock, these being the Guille- 

 mots, ^ a few pairs of the Razorbill, and about twenty pairs of 

 Sparrows ; but these have been joined within the last few years 

 by a few pairs of Starlings and House Martins." Nevertheless, 

 there are a few others which have been known to breed occasion- 

 ally, or which formerly did so and do not now. Considering these, 

 I make out the following list : — 



1. Sturnus vulgaris. Properly a migrant, in profusion, with migra- 

 tions peculiar in several respects; but a few pairs have bred, as above 

 said. 



2. Hypolais icterina. Migrant, formerly common, now rare; a paii- 

 bred, summer of 1876. 



3. Saxicolacenanthe. Properly a migrant, common ; but has (probably) 

 bred occasionally. 



4. Motacilla alba. Migrant, but mainly a summer bird which breeds 

 occasionally or tries to do so. 



i:;. Motacilla rayi. Migrant, early and regular, not common ; known 

 to have bred twice. 



6. Anthus arboreus. Migrant, May and August, September, common ; 

 nested once, but the eggs were destroyed. 



' Uria ti-oile and U. ringvia. In Gatke's list these count as two species, 

 Nos. 384 and 385. His total numeration is ostensibly 396; to which add No. 

 248(1, Otis tarda., given in preface but not numbered, and No. i^.\a, Platalea 

 leucorodia, interpolated in the list, making in all 398 — or 397 without counting 

 U- rinsvia. 



