208 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



tower, or on the roof of the church, sunning themselves, and always 

 appearing gay and in a cheerful humour. In two cases Jackdaws 

 have occurred here in which the light spot at the side of the neck 

 was almost quite white. 



The Jackdaw is a breeding species in the whole of Europe and in 

 Asia, to about as far as the Jenesei. On the north it does not extend 

 beyond central Scandinavia. 



42. Magpie [ELSTEE]. 



CORVUS PICA, Linn. 1 

 Heligolandish : Heister = Elster. 



Corvus pica. Naumann, ii. 101. 



Magpie. Dresser, iv. 509. 



Pic. Temminck, Manuel, i. 113, iii. 63. 



Our fellow-ornithologists of the neighbouring continent, who 

 meet the Magpie at every step, probably have not the least idea 

 that in Heligoland, famed for its rich avian fauna, it is among 

 the greatest rarities. Thus a bird like White's Thrush (Turdus 

 varius} has been shot here ten times as frequently. About fifty 

 years ago old Oelk saw one of these birds here, but all his efforts at 

 securing it were fruitless. The next case of its occurrence happened 

 on the llth of November 1876. As I was stepping out into my garden 

 early on the morning of that day, I was no little surprised to see a 

 Magpie fly up close by me. Not having a gun at hand, the bird, for 

 the time being, was enabled to fly away, but was brought to me a 

 quarter of an hour later by my eldest son, who had managed to 

 shoot it. Thus the gap in my collection, so long left open by this 

 common bird, was at last filled, and that too by a very fine old 

 example. 



The Magpie breeds from Portugal to Kamtschatka, as also in 

 the west of North America. In Finmark it is found breeding as 

 high as 71 N. latitude. 



43. Nutcracker [NUSSHEHER]. 

 CORVUS CARYOCATACTES, Linn. 2 



Corvus caryocatactes. Naumann, ii. 130. 



Nutcracker. Dresser, iv. 451. 



Cassenoix. Temminck, Manuel, i. 117, iii. 67. 



The Nutcracker is a very rare guest in Heligoland. During the 

 time I have been collecting, it has occurred and been killed here 



1 Pica rustica (Scop.). 2 Nudfraga caryocatactes (Linn.). 



