274 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



of the broad outer-web, and thus leads to the formation of a large, 

 pure white spot. The two penultimate flight-feathers acquire a 

 peculiar marking, through the sudden projection of the blackish- 

 brown colour in the middle of each of these feathers into the white 

 portion of the outer-web, forming dark spots similar to those met 

 with in the Buntings, and especially well denned in E. lapponica, 

 schceniclus, rustica, and pusilla. 



The bird caught here completely agrees with the description 

 given by Dresser and Blandford (Ibis, 1874, p. 343) of the examples 

 in the Berlin Museum, which were collected by Hemprich and 

 Ehrenberg in Syria and Arabia. In size it resembles R. phcenicurus, 

 but the wings of my example are '25 in. (6 mm.), and the tail 

 28 in. (7 mm.), longer than in an old male of the latter species. 



The following are the measurements of my example : Total 

 length, 5'31 ins. (135 mm.) ; length of wing, 319 ins. (81 mm.) ; 

 length of tail, 2*36 ins. (60 mm.) ; length of tail uncovered by wing, 

 1-15 in. (29 mm.); the beak measures '43 in. (11 mm.), and the 

 tarsus, '86 in. (22 mm.). 



As regards the nesting stations of this species, nothing further 

 is known than has been reported by C. G. Danford in a very inter- 

 esting article in the Ibis for 1877, p. 262. During his travels in 

 Asia Minor, in the winter of 1875 and the spring of 1876, he 

 discovered, with a great deal of trouble, the hitherto unknown 

 nests and eggs of this species, which at that time was itself but 

 little known. 



The bird above mentioned as shot in Heligoland appears to be 

 the only example of this species hitherto observed in Europe. A 

 few years ago, Aeuckens wounded a second example, but did not 

 obtain it. Peculiar and interesting in regard to migration is the 

 fact that, on the same day as S. mesoleuca, there was also shot an 

 example of Sylvia (Acrocephala) agricola, which is likewise pre- 

 served in my collection. 



93. Black Eedstart [HAUSROTHLING]. 

 SYLVIA TITHYS, Latham. 1 



Heligolandish : Swart smok-heiked = Black Eedstart 

 Sylvia tithys. Naumann, iii. 525. 



Black Eedstart. Dresser, ii. 293. 



Bee-fin rouge-queue. Temminck, Manuel, i. 218, iii. 145. 



Although the Black Redstart visits Heligoland regularly during 

 the two migration periods of the year, only solitary birds, or a small 



1 Ruticilla titys (Scop. ). 



