EXCEPTIONAL MIGRATION PHENOMENA 129 



in the course of their flight across the wide ocean might grow faint 

 in their wing-powers, and thus miserably perish. I would there- 

 fore in this place give the result of some observations I have been 

 enabled to make in regard to this matter, which show that land- 

 birds, such as Thrushes, Buntings, Finches, and the like, are able, 

 in case of exhaustion, to rest for a short time on the surface of 

 the water even if that be somewhat agitated and are after- 

 wards capable of continuing their journey. 



I made the first observation of this kind whilst engaged, in 

 company with the brothers Aeuckens, shooting Gulls about two 

 miles west of Heligoland. Some distance off, we noticed a small 

 bird swimming on the sea. Neither myself nor my companions 

 were able to make out what kind of bird it was, and therefore care- 

 fully approached, anxious to secure what we believed to be a great 

 rarity. Fortunately, before it was too late, we recognised it to be a 

 Song Thrush. Our sportsman's zeal at once changed to a feeling 

 of pity, and a desire to save the exhausted creature from what 

 seemed a very painful situation. We were, however, no little 

 astonished on seeing, as the boat approached, the Thrush rise with 

 the greatest ease from the water, and fly vigorously and in a 

 straight course towards Heligoland. 



On another occasion we were about to rescue a Snow Bunting 

 under similar circumstances. This bird appeared, however, to have 

 been considerably exhausted, for we found it swimming, or rather 

 drifting, along on the water, some five or six hundred paces from 

 the island. On the approach of our boat this bird likewise flew 

 up from the water with perfect ease, but was obliged to alight 

 again after flying for a distance of from thirty to forty paces. We 

 drew up to it once more, when it rose a second time, with no better 

 success, however, than before. A third attempt at rescue on our 

 part had no further effect than to drive it for about another thirty 

 paces nearer the island. At last we relinquished the task of press- 

 ing our assistance upon this obstinate fellow, feeling quite sure that, 

 after a little rest, he would be perfectly able to reach the island 

 unaided. 



In a third instance, a Brambling was seen drifting on the sea, 

 at least three miles east of Heligoland. On the approach of the 

 boat, the bird rose and at once ascended to a fairly considerable 

 height, after the manner of birds which purpose continuing their 

 journey after resting, and, leaving Heligoland unnoticed about 

 a mile to its right, travelled onwards in a nearly western direction, 

 until it vanished from sight. The nearest points of land which 

 the bird could have reached in this direction were the islands of 

 Norderney and Borkum, and it seems beyond all possibility that 

 the bird could have seen either of these islands from the place 



I 



