THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 451 



251. Common Crane [GRAUEK KRANICH]. 

 GRUS CINEREA, Bechstein. 1 



Grus cinerea. Naumann, xi. 345. 



Common Crane. Dresser, vii. 337. 



Grue cendrte. Teinminck, Manuel, ii. 557, vi. 366. 



This well-known Crane is almost unknown here ; the only bird 

 of this species ever observed on this island was seen by Jan 

 Aeuckens in April 1867. The bird in question came from over 

 the sea, passed at a low elevation over the edge of the cliff, and 

 calmly continued its flight in the same direction to the opposite 

 side of the island, without paying any further attention to this 

 little rock, which, to so stately and distinguished a bird, may have 

 appeared too insignificant to be deserving of notice. 



This bird is distributed as a breeding species over the whole 

 of northern and central Europe, and it has actually been found 

 nesting in fair numbers in the south of Spain in localities adapted 

 to its habits and mode of life. 



252. Demoiselle Crane [JUNGFERN-KRANICH]. 

 GRUS VIRGO, Pallas. 2 



Grus virgo. Naumann, ix. 386. 



Demoiselle Crane. Dresser, vii. 353. 



Grue demoiselle. Teraminck, Manuel, iv. 367. 



The example of this beautiful bird, which forms no small orna- 

 ment to my collection, is of older date than any other member of 

 the numerous host which I have succeeded in accumulating here ; 

 it was shot by Reymers on the dune in May 1837, when I had not 

 yet set foot on Heligoland. The bird is not a very old example, 

 but, nevertheless, has the yellowish white bunch of feathers behind 

 the eyes fairly well developed. 



In the course of that same summer, this specimen came into the 

 possession of a certain Dr. Schmidt from Hamburg, who presented 

 it to the museum of that city as a curiosity. It stood there until a 

 few years ago, a perpetual thorn in my side. A lucky chance 

 brought me in contact with Dr. Sonne, a member of the com- 

 mittee of the Hamburg Museum, and a distinguished authority 

 on Alge. I represented to him that my collection was really 

 the right place for it, with which view this gentleman was 



1 Grus communis, Bechstein. 2 Grus virgo (Linn.). 



