THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 489 



than two or three individuals are ever seen. Raw and cold weather 

 does not appear at all to suit this bird, for it is never seen here 

 until it has become really warm, and even then only on fine 

 sunny days in May. The bird appears to acquire a special attach- 

 ment for a spot which it has once frequented. Thus, one in- 

 dividual had selected a sunny patch on the grass in my garden, 

 which was sheltered by a wooden paling ; and although I might 

 rouse it two, and even three times, on the same day, it would always 

 patiently return to the same spot which, by the way, was no bigger 

 than a man's hand as though it had been its nest. Young autui i in 

 birds occur somewhat more abundantly than old individuals, about 

 the end of August and during the first weeks of September. 



This species, whose breeding home is more eastern than that 

 of the others, only visits western Europe, including England, on 

 migration in small and fluctuating numbers. Its breeding range 

 extends from Jutland up to 70 N. lat. in Scandinavia, and in the 

 south to the northern parts of eastern Germany, whence it stretches 

 within the same parallels of latitude through European Russia. 

 How far eastward into Asia it breeds has not been determined, 

 though Seebohin found the bird in fair abundance on a small 

 tributary of the Jenesei just within the Arctic Circle. 



278. Common Snipe [SUMPFSCHNEPFE]. 

 SCOLOPAX GALLINAGO, Brisson. 1 



Heligolandish : Tschaker= Snipe. 

 Scolopax gallinago. Naumann, viii. 310. 

 Common Snipe. Dresser, vii. 641. 



Becassine ordinaire. Teinminck, Manuel, ii. 676, iv. 433. 



This widely distributed species is of quite common occurrence 

 in Heligoland; and, excepting in June and July, is met with 

 more or less numerously at all times of the year, including the 

 whiter months. 



In mild winters large numbers of these birds seem to re- 

 main in their northern or eastern breeding homes ; for if a sudden 

 and severe frost, particularly if accompanied by a snowfall, sets 

 in at the end of November, December, or during the first months 

 of the new year, they are at once observed to pass this island in 

 greater or less numbers. Throughout the evening and all night long 

 of the 21st of November 1862, with an east wind and snowy weather, 

 the air was completely filled with countless thousands of C. auratus, 

 C. vanellus, N. arquatus, and S. gallinago. On the day following, 

 large numbers of Golden Plovers and Lapwings continued to migrate, 



1 Gallinago ccelestis, Frenzel. 



