168 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



would tear away again at lightning speed, till, vanishing from sight 

 in the dull autumn air, one thought the bird had gone for ever, 

 when suddenly it would again come into sight, soaring calmly 

 along from an opposite direction. 



This bird illustrated in a most striking fashion the open, bold 

 manner in which the Noble Falcons hunt their game, relying only 

 upon their own strength and skill, and despising every kind of craft 

 or stratagem in short, the most perfect types of a bird of prey. 



I, who was at that time a passionate sportsman, made no small 

 efforts to secure it. To this end I had already, in the course of the 

 day, exchanged my double-barrelled gun for a single English duck- 

 gun, but without effect. As a last resource, late in the afternoon, I 

 took up my rifle. I found the Falcon sitting on the cliff with his back 

 turned towards me; but he was at a good distance, or about 380 feet by 

 the chart. He was sitting perfectly at his ease, turning his head and 

 looking across at me. At the same moment I pulled the trigger and 

 the noble bird fell, hit between the shoulders, into the depth below. 



Overjoyed at my lucky shot, I little dreamt at that time that 

 the bird which had just fallen a victim was to be the originating 

 cause and foundation-stone of the ornithological collection, at pre- 

 sent probably without its equal, which it has been my good fortune 

 since that time to accumulate in Heligoland. 



Up to that time I had, to prevent their being spoiled, presented 

 any examples of particular beauty or interest which had come 

 within my reach to collectors of my acquaintance. This bird, how- 

 ever, was so splendid a creature that I could not induce myself to 

 part with it. It was soon joined in quick succession by a fairly 

 numerous and varied company. Now, however, to a mere love of 

 sport there was added a higher interest. I borrowed from Reymers, 

 Brehm's Textbook of the Birds of Europe ; 1 obtained, a few years 

 later, possession of Naumann's first and only work, and thereafter 

 worked with unflagging zeal in the field of Ornithology. 



Since that time two or three examples of this bird, of equally 

 large size, have been seen on the island, but none have been shot. 

 The afore-mentioned bird measured, while still fresh, 23'62 inches = 

 (60 cm.) from the forehead to the tip of the tail. It is a young bird 

 in autumn plumage, the naked parts round the eye and talons 

 being of a light bluish grey. 



Again, on the 19th September 1848, a large Falcon was observed 

 here; its head and tail were of a pure white, the back with heart- 

 shaped black spots on a white ground, and the wings white with 

 black tips. Inasmuch as the bird flew away from the face of the 

 cliff, the observer standing at the top above it was unable to see its 



1 Lehrbuch der Vogel Europas. 



