Vol. XII l CovKS, Gafkes Hclisr-olancL 325 



i«05 J 



7. Alauda arvensis. Almost resident; only common in mi-ration; 

 breeds occasionallv. 



8. Fringilla coelebs. ISIij^n-ant, chiefly April and September, October; 

 breeds now and then. 



9. Acanthis rufescens. Occasional. A pair bred in 1S72. 



10. Passer domesticus. The only land-bird which is a resident and 

 regular breeder. 



"11. Chelidon urbica. Common, chiefly in migration; a small colony 



breeding. 



12. Hsmatopus ostralegus. Common; chiefly in migration, but seen 

 at any season; has bred occasionally. 



13.' Larus argentatus. Commonest Gull at any season ; formerly bred, 

 when protected— up to about 80 years ago. 



14. Uria troile (and ringvia). Regular breeder; now about J,ooo 

 birds, formerly more; protected by law to July 25. 



I,-. Alca torda. A few, regularly breeding with the Murres. 



16. Fratercula arctica. A few, usually seen among the Murres; formerly 

 bred. 



This finishes the few species ever known to be native to 

 Heligoland ; and most of these are only fortuitous in this 

 relatton, their real character being that of migrants, thus requir- 

 ing to be reconsidered in another connection.^ 



Proceeding now to further analysis of the list, we at once 

 encounter a difficulty; for Giitke's birds are often non-conform- 

 ists, which do not fit well in the several categories we are 

 accustomed to. When we speak of summer visitants, we gen- 

 erally mean breeders, which few of Gatke's are. Many of his 

 winter visitants are genuine migrants of that season. Various 

 other vagaries, or what seem so to us, develop as we scan the 

 record, "^l will venture, however, upon a second Ust which shall 

 include species that are neither breeders, nor regular spring and 

 fall migrants only, nor yet belong to the astonishing array of 

 mere astrays. It would be a short one, were it not for Sea- 

 ducks and Sea-gulls : — 



1 Herr Gatke is an ornithologist of the old school which includes such 

 honored names as those of Blasius and Naumann in Germany, and too well 

 founded in the faith of byegone days to yield to innovations in classification 

 and nomenclature upon which some of us boys plume ourselves. In the 

 above Ust, and others to follow, I use in the main the modern names which his 

 translator, Rosenstock, supplies in footnotes, unless I know some other name 

 which seems to suit our code better. The present occasion is not one of 

 canonical scrupulosity in terminology — it is simply ornithological. 



