THE BIKDS OF HELIGOLAND 325 



out the whole of Asia. As one might expect, it is also a very 

 numerous visitor to Heligoland, the island being often, especially 

 during the commencement of the autumn migration, covered with 

 young birds. The migration of these young birds usually commences 

 at the end of July, and lasts to the middle of September in favour- 

 able weather the earliest arrivals frequently make their appearance 

 even much sooner ; thus in 1882 young Wheatears were seen fairly 

 numerously on the night of the 7th and 8th of July at the light- 

 house. Among these early arrivals individuals with the light- 

 bordered early plumage in still almost perfect condition are 

 frequently found. The number of old birds is however very 

 limited during the autumn migration ; with rare exceptions they 

 are not seen before the beginning of October, and their migration 

 lasts until about the end of November ; the birds, especially the 

 later arrivals, being invariably most surprisingly fat. 



The old males which initiate the spring migration pass through 

 Heligoland from the middle of March to the middle of April ; hi 

 favourable weather they also appear earlier, thus in 1881 as early 

 as the 8th, 9th and 10th of the former month. They are followed 

 by the females and younger birds during the latter half of April 

 and through May. At odd times a pair have attempted to breed 

 on the island, but they have probably hardly ever succeeded in 

 rearing their young. 



These lively birds have a special preference for the rock debris 

 at the foot of the cliff. It is amusing to watch the thousands of 

 these birds there, chasing about after each other, or actively pursuing 

 aquatic insects and the like ; all of a sudden one of their number 

 utters a warning cry, announcing the approach of a sparrow-hawk, 

 which he has espied in the distance, in a trice the whole band 

 has disappeared as though it had sunk into the earth, all the 

 birds having gone into hiding under the stones. A scene of the 

 most animated bustle is changed, as though by a wizard's wand, 

 into deathly stillness. However, the pause is not of long duration ; 

 one by one the tiny creatures may be seen emerging cautiously 

 from their hiding-places, and soon the same frolicsome movement 

 reigns again on all sides, perhaps before very long to be once more 

 interrupted in the same manner as before, like sunshine alternating 

 with cloud on a bright day in summer. 



In autumn these birds are caught here for the table of the 

 visitors who come for the sea-bathing. Formerly they were caught 

 almost exclusively by some of the old pilots or fishermen, who felt 

 themselves no longer equal to following their former calling on 

 the mighty ocean : later on, however, when boys, still subject to 

 school attendance, began to evince a greater liking for catching 



