THE BIEDS OF HELIGOLAND 493 



The old birds which visit this island resort exclusively to 

 the shore at the base of the cliff, as do also large numbers of 

 the young autumn birds ; these, however, are also often shot while 

 flying across the plain of the Upper Plateau, and on the dune, be- 

 cause being as yet unconscious of danger, they are led without diffi- 

 culty to follow the sounds of the decoy-whistle. It is a singular 

 fact that the old birds of this species, and also of the Grey Plover, 

 which are not inferior to them in intelligence, while extraordinarily 

 vigilant on land, seem to forget all caution at sea, at once following 

 the feigned call-notes quite close up to a boat, and even attempting 

 to alight a few paces off the latter, on the float-lines of the lobster 

 baskets. The Redshank would never dream of doing this, being in 

 fact, the shyest of the whole family. 



The breeding range of the Greenshank extends from the 

 northern Hebrides through Scotland, northern Scandinavia, and 

 Finland, as far as Kamtschatka. 



283. Marsh Sandpiper [TEICH-WASSERLAUFER]. 

 TOTANUS STAGNATILIS, Bechstein. 



Totamis stagnatilis. Naumann, viii. 171. 



Marsh Sandpiper. Dresser, viii. 151. 



Chevalier stagnatile. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 647, iv. 414. 



Very little can be reported from Heligoland in regard to this 

 elegant Sandpiper. So far as our information goes, it has only 

 been killed here once : the example in question, an old male in 

 the prettiest and purest breeding plumage, was shot by Jan 

 Aeuckens on the 7th of May 1862, and forms a great ornament to 

 my collection. The deep black markings of the grey feathers of 

 all the upper parts are very perfectly defined, and on the long 

 posterior flight-feathers pass into transverse stripes or bands. This 

 bird was found on the shore at the foot of the cliff. 



The breeding range of this species extends from eastern Europe 

 e.g. Hungary through southern Siberia to the Sea of Ochotsk. 



284. Green Sandpiper [PUNKTIRTER WASSERLAUFER]. 

 TOTANUS OCHROPUS, Linn. 



Totanus ochropus. Naumann, viii. 58. 



Green Sandpiper. Dresser, viii. 136. 



Chevalier cul-blanc. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 651, iv. 415. 



Its graceful shape, combined with the snowy purity of the white 

 portion of its plumage, which is still further heightened by the 



