METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS 93 



September, October, and November, calms and easterly winds pre- 

 vailed in that locality for 69| days, the winds being westerly and 

 northerly during the remaining 21 i days. 



In 1859 the autumn migration was again characterised by the 

 appearance in force of East Asiatic species, though on nothing like 

 so large a scale as in 1847. Nevertheless I obtained three examples 

 of the Yellow-browed Warbler (Sylvia super ciliosa), two of Teng- 

 malin's Owl, and many Richard's Pipit, while, lastly, one of the 

 rare sporadic occurrences of the Jay in large numbers took place in 

 the same year. The prevailing winds here during this period were 

 south-easterly, and the results of the stations Lugau and Kursk for 

 September and October were : Favourable easterly winds and 

 calms for 84f days, as opposed to 37 i days of unfavourable westerly 

 and northerly winds. 



During the spring months of 1879 the following species 

 were observed here : The Large-billed Reed-Bunting (Emberiza 

 pyrrhuloides), Pallas' Short- toed Lark (Alauda pispoletta), the 

 Eleonora Falcon (Falco Eleonorce), Sylvia viridana, the Black- 

 headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocepkala) twice, the Rose- 

 coloured Starling three times, the Serin Finch which until that 

 time I had only obtained once five or six times, and also the Black- 

 winged Stilt ; though these last, as well as the Eleanora Falcon, were 

 not shot, their occurrences were placed beyond all doubt. The four 

 first-named species had, up to that time, not been observed on the 

 island. 



So favourable were the indications for the -occurrence of spring 

 visitors from the far East in that year, that I advised my friend, 

 John Cordeaux whose estate is on the east coast of England in the 

 same latitude as Heligoland by letter, to keep a particularly watch- 

 ful eye on the wanderers, as I felt sure that rare occurrences like these 

 would also find their way to England. My surmises indeed proved 

 correct, for on the 27th of July one of two examples of a Swift, the 

 Spine-tailed Swift (Cypselus caudacuta} were shot there, the home 

 of which species extends through Eastern Asia to Australia and 

 New Zealand. It can hardly be doubted that at the same time 

 other interesting birds reached the British coast vid Heligoland 

 without having been seen, while others, having probably lost their 

 way in Austria and Germany, were unable to continue their journey 

 to this island. 



In the course of the autumn migration of the same year the 

 Yellow-browed Warbler (Sylvia superciliosa) was observed re- 

 peatedly, and on one occasion also killed. Sylvia reguloides, with 

 its strikingly light-yellow rump was seen on the 8th and 9th of 

 October, probably the same example on both days. The Red- 



