THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 175 



to greater perfection than on this island, where it may often be seen, 

 particularly over the eastern shore, poised in the air with the body 

 motionless, as if nailed to the spot, at a height of from a hundred 

 to a hundred and fifty feet, and that frequently in the teeth of a 

 violent easterly gale. Under the last conditions the bird somewhat 

 depresses the head and fore part of its body, and keeps its tail 

 slightly raised above the level of its back, somewhat in the 

 manner of a cuckoo on the wing, its narrow wings being at the 

 same time drawn up close to the body. In this position it remains, 

 keeping its head turned to the wind, which has often the force of a 

 hurricane, without moving a feather, fixed motionless to the same 

 spot, except when, now and again, it exchanges its place for another 

 with a few hasty strokes of the wings. 



This bird visits Heligoland in great numbers, and isolated 

 examples may also be seen out of the regular period of migration 

 at all times of the year. In the spring it arrives as early as March, 

 and is of common occurrence during April and May. Young birds 

 are seen as early as the middle of August, and old ones throughout 

 September and October. 



The Common Kestrel breeds numerously throughout the whole 

 of Europe up to about 60 N. latitude ; in the south its breeding 

 area extends to North Africa, and to the same extent of latitude 

 through the whole of Asia. 



10. The Lesser Kestrel [ROTHELFALKE]. 

 FALCO CENCHRIS, Frisch. 1 



Falco cenchris. Naumann, i. 318. 



Lesser Kestrel. Dresser, vi. 125. 



Faucon cresserellette. Temminck, Manuel, i. 31, iii. 15. 



To my knowledge this bird has only occurred three times in the 

 island, but Reymers once stuffed and sold a male bird before I had 

 begun to collect. In the summer of 1839 or 1840 a young bird was 

 shot by a visitor on the Dune, but he merely skinned it. The 

 specimen later on came into my possession, but being only a skin, 

 I did not value it much and gave it, if I am not mistaken, to Herr 

 von Zittwitz ; possibly it is still at Gorlitz, where his collection 

 went afterwards. Finally Glaus Aeuckens saw a 'small Kestrel 

 with red back and blue wings,' flying away almost from under 

 his feet from the edge of the cliff, without, however, being able 

 to get a shot at it ; for under such conditions almost all birds 



1 Falco cenchris, Naum. 



