THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 307 



122. Marsh Warbler [SUMPF-ROHRSANGER]. 

 SYLVIA PALUSTRIS, Bechstein. 1 



Heligolandish : Same name as preceding species. 

 Sylvia palustris. Naumann, iii. 630. 

 Marsh Warbler. Dresser, ii. 573. 

 Bee-Jin Verderolle. Temminck, Manuel, i. 192, iii. 116. 



This species, like the preceding, was in former years met with 

 far more frequently in Heligoland than is the case now. As regards 

 numbers, too, it was far better represented than the preceding 

 species a relation which obtains even at the present day in regard 

 to the few individuals still visiting the island. The birds rarely 

 make their appearance before the beginning of May, and only on 

 fine warm days, when it is not rare to hear the almost hypolais-like 

 song of one or another of these songsters as it hops through a 

 hedge of thorns. 



However late these birds may migrate in spring, they neverthe- 

 less pass through very early on their return journey ; thus I shot in 

 my garden a fine old example in my collection as early as the 22nd 

 of July 1876. 



The breeding range of this species appears to extend from 

 western France across the Ural ; its southern range does not come 

 up to that of the preceding species, and in the north it does not 

 reach beyond the Baltic. Isolated instances are known of its 

 occurrence in England, while in Holland it is known to breed very 

 abundantly. 



123. Paddy-field Warbler [FELD-ROHRSANGER]. 

 SYLVIA AGRICOLA, Jerdon. 2 



Acrocephalus agricolus. Jerdon, Birds of India, ii. 156. 

 Paddy-field Warbler. Dresser, ii. 559. 



The 12th of June 1864 was one of those days such as fall to 

 the lot of the ornithologist only in Heligoland, but that also fairly 

 frequently. During the morning of that day I obtained two 

 strangers from the far East, never hitherto met with in Europe, 

 nor ever seen since then anywhere nearer than Asia Minor and the 

 Lower Volga. One of these birds was Sylvia mesoleuca, which has 

 been already dealt with ; the other the present species. Two skins 

 of this species were subsequently obtained by Dresser from the 



1 Acrocephaltis palustris (Bechst.). - Acrocephalus agricola (Jerd.). 



