474 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



met with in Denmark. During the last fifty years, this bird hi 

 been shot not more than six times, the individuals in questioi 

 having made their appearance either at the beginning of the fin 

 frost or in fine days in April and May. 



It is a resident breeding species in the temperate and souther 

 parts of Europe, and in north Africa, its eastern range extends as 

 far as India. 



271. D o 1 1 e r e 1 [MOKNELL-REGENPFEIFEK]. 

 CHARADRIUS MORINELLUS, Linn. 1 



Heligolandish : Sandhuhn = Sand/owl. 



Charadrius morinellus. Naumann, vii. 163. 



Dotterel. Dresser, vii. 507. 



Pluvier guignard. Temininck, Manuel, ii. 537, iv. 355. 



This bonny bird formerly occurred much more frequently than 

 has been the case within the last few decades. This fact, however, 

 must in no way be attributed to a diminution in the number of 

 individuals, but rather to a change of climatic conditions. We 

 have already stated, on repeated occasions, that about thirty years 

 ago our May used to be for the most part fine and warm, with light 

 south-east winds, and frequently with light showers of rain during 

 the early hours of the morning. Such conditions of weather 

 induced hosts of migrants to make a temporary halt on the 

 island ; and even now, on transitory and exceptional occasions 

 of this nature, these conditions generally lead to an arrival of 

 large numbers of Dotterels and other species due at the time. 

 All this, however, has been changed since the period before 

 named. 



May is now almost unexceptionally attended by cold and dry 

 sometimes violent north winds, which are not those which will 

 convey birds to Heligoland, but seem rather to prevent birds 

 which are without doubt migrating at great heights above from 

 alighting for a temporary rest. That migration, however, proceeds 

 in spite of these conditions can hardly be questioned, although 

 the birds travel at too great a height to be witnessed by human 

 eyes. This conclusion is proved by the fact that, after the lapse 

 of the proper migration period of a particular species, it is no 

 longer seen, even if a most favourable change of weather should 

 take place : the migrants, in fact, rise to more elevated strata of the 



1 Eudromias morineUus (Linn.). 



