THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 435 



the cliff; or it will suddenly start up close to one's feet, and fly 

 off silently like a shadow to some similar spot close by, there to 

 continue its dreamy meditations. As soon, however, as the sun 

 has set, when moths and beetles begin to swarm, the bird may be 

 seen snapping up such insects in rapid and dexterous flight, or we 

 may hear it from a somewhat elevated position giving utterance to 

 its peculiar voice, which resembles the noise of a spinning-wheel. 

 The bird returns from its nesting places as early as the first half of 

 August, if the days are fine and warm. 



This bird occurs as a breeding species from Portugal to central 

 Asia, its northern range extending in Europe to beyond 60 N. 

 latitude. It winters south of the Mediterranean. 



239. Egyptian Goatsucker [HELLER ZIEGENMELKER]. 

 CAPRIMULGUS ^EGYPTIUS, Lichtenstein. 



Egyptian Goatsucker. Dresser, v. 629. 



Caprimulgus arenicolor. Sewertzoff, Fauna of Turkestan ; Ibis 1876, p. 190. 



As might be presumed, many of the rarer birds in my collec- 

 tion are the reward of the most untiring exertions made in their 

 pursuit. Strange to say, however, I owe not a few of my most 

 valuable examples to the merest accidents ; and this applies to 

 the specimen of this rare Goatsucker. A visitor (Badegast) who 

 had walked from the Seehundsklippen (the seal-cliffs) to the 

 dune with a gun loaded with buck-shot, on reaching his destina- 

 tion discharged his weapon at the very first bird that came in his 

 way; this chanced to be the above-named Goatsucker, at that 

 time, August 1876, the first example observed in Europe ; since 

 then, however, another specimen was killed in England on the 23rd 

 of June 1883. 



In its coloration this Goatsucker bears no resemblance to the 

 common species, its isabelline rust-grey colour (isabell-rostgrau) is 

 generally so light that at first I took my specimen for a pale variety 

 of G. europcKus. A closer examination,- however, shows that the 

 pattern of zig-zag lines made up of darkish dashes and dots, is 

 different from that of the more common species, while the feathers 

 of the head and back lack the somewhat broad and dark stripes 

 which run in the line of the shafts in G. europceus. The ground- 

 colour of the plumage throughout is isabelline varied by darker 

 dust-like markings which, on the tips of the feathers, especially 

 the longer feathers of the back and humerus, form dilated 

 fine sagittal lines. The smaller plumage of the upper parts of 



