456 THE BIKDS OF HELIGOLAND 



257. Common Bittern [ROHRDOMMEL]. 

 ARDEA STELLARIS, Linn. 1 



Ardea stellaris. Naumann, ix. 159. 



Common Bittern. Dresser, vi. 281. 



Heron grand butor. Tetuininck, Manuel, ii. 580, iv. 381. 



This species has only been killed here once during all the time I 

 have been collecting, nor has it been observed since. About sixty 

 years ago, however, one of these birds is said to have been caught 

 at the lantern of the lighthouse. As, however, these birds are but 

 sparingly represented in the northern portion of their breeding area 

 in lower Sweden, the rare occurrence of this species in Heligoland 

 need occasion no surprise. The breeding range of this bird is 

 nevertheless a very extensive one, stretching from Portugal to 

 Japan, and reaching in the south as far as S. Africa, large numbers 

 nesting even at Cape Colony (Saimders, Yarrell, 1884). 



258. Little Bittern [ZWEKGEOHEDOMMEL]. 

 ARDEA MINUTA, Linn.* 



Ardea minuta. Nauraann, ix. 194. 



Little Bittern. Dresser, vi. 259. 



Heron blongios. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 584, iv. 383 



This bird has only been seen and killed once in Heligoland, 

 although it is said to have strayed to Norway, the Faroes, and 

 even Iceland ; all such cases, however, can only be regarded as 

 peculiar exceptions, as the breeding range of this small species 

 does not, in any case, extend beyond the Baltic, though in its longi- 

 tudinal extent it stretches from Spain through Europe to the 

 Caspian, and from the latter further eastwards to Cashmere. 



The example of this bird, and also that of the preceding species, 

 were killed here before 1847 ; the former was slain by a boy 

 with a stone, the latter was shot. Both specimens are in my 

 collection. 



Ibis Ibis. The only member of this genus belonging to 

 Europe, Ibis falcinellus, has a place in the bird-list of Heligoland. 

 Asia, Africa, and America each possess several species more or less 

 related to the present one. None of these, however, appear to have 

 hitherto found their way to Europe. 



1 Botaurus stellaris (Linn.). " Arde.Ua, minuta (Linn.). 



