

THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 395 



black, and sharply defined; the rump is pure white, and entirely 

 unspotted. An old male, shot by Seebohm on April 22nd 1875 on 

 the Petchora, in the colour of the upper parts completely resembles 

 the Heligoland specimen, but has only pale brownish-grey stripes 

 left on the flanks, while the upper breast, sides of the breast 

 and rump are of a light rosy-red colour. 



The measurements of the examples killed here completely 

 agree with those of the old bird from the Petchora, and are as 

 follows: Total length, 4'72 ins. (120 mm.); length of the wings, 

 2'64 ins. (67 mm.); length of the tail, 2'28 ins. (58 mm/.); length of 

 tail uncovered by the wings, T19 in. (30 mm.). The bill is very 

 small, measuring '23 in. (6 mm.) from forehead to tip, and only 

 extending 16 in. (4 mm.) beyond the bristle-like plumes which 

 hide the nostrils. 



This bird occurs as a breeding species from the north-east of 

 European Russia, through the whole of northern Asia, and ad- 

 vances, under the same parallels of latitude, into northern America. 

 During the Vega Expedition it was the only Redpole met with in 

 the north of the Tchuktchee Peninsula. 



196. Lesser Redpoll [ROSTER AUNER LEINFINK]. 

 FRINGILLA RUFESCENS, Vieillot. 1 



Lesser Redpole. Dresser, iv. 47. 



This, the smallest of the Redpolls, affords a most striking proof 

 of the strong disinclination of species from western Europe to 

 migrate beyond the extreme limits of their homes. In the 

 central and northern parts of England, as well as in the whole of 

 Scotland, this bird is a common and abundant breeding species, and 

 yet, in spite of the most careful attention, I did not obtain my first 

 example here, for my collection, until 1882. This individual was 

 shot by my son Ludwig on the 24th of October, and on the 7th of 

 November I myself shot another of these pretty birds in my 

 garden. On the 15th of May 1884 a third example was brought 

 me by Glaus Aeuckens ; and on the 21st and 22nd of the same 

 month one was again seen, without, however, being captured ; since 

 that time it has never been observed again on the island. 



This bird supplies a further highly interesting contribution to 

 the bird-life of Heligoland, inasmuch as a pair of them nested in 

 1872 in the throstle-bush put up in my garden. I did not discover 

 the nest until autumn when the leaves were falling. I thought I 



1 Linota rvfescens (Vieillot). 



