47 



circle from Norway eastwards; but whose winter quarters lie 

 to the south-east, rather than the true south, of Heligoland. 

 Colonel Irby, however, met with two examples at Gibraltar, and 

 expresses the opinion that it passes that point regularly on 

 migration. 



Eeferring to the geographical distribution of this bird, 

 Saunders writes — (Manual of British Birds) : — " It breeds in 

 many parts of Scandinavia, especially in East Pinmark ; while 

 eastward we find it in increasing numbers, beyond the limits of 

 forest growth, across Siberia to Kamtschatka and Bering Island. 

 It is even said to have straggled across the Pacific to Lower 

 California; but, be this as it may, the migrations of this Pipit 

 undoubtedly extend to southern China, Borneo, Burma, India, 

 Persia and Egypt. In the latter and in Nubia the bird is 

 exceedingly abundant in winter ; westward in North Africa it 

 becomes rarer ; but it is found on migration throughout the basin 

 of the Mediterranean from Asia Minor to Gibraltar." 



This Pipit from its similarity to A. prateusis is very likely to be 

 overlooked. This view is strengthened by Herr Gatke's further 

 remarks. With regard to its occurrence on Heligoland, he 

 writes : — " I obtained the first example of this Pipit on the 

 island on 28th September, 1854, and the second on 20th 

 September, 1857. Soon after, Glaus Aeuckens learned its call- 

 note, and in consequence managed to see and frequently shoot 

 one or other of these birds regularly every autumn. In 1884 

 they occurred here in unexampled frequency ; from 15th to 30th 

 September thirteen examples were seen, and for the most part 

 shot, on some days as many as three examples " (p. 345). 



The above account, however, will be found to be quite at 

 variance with a reference to this species on p. 37. In the 

 latter place the author writes of the Eed-throated Pipit as 

 only occurring in Heligoland in the most exceptional cases, 

 having only been shot there more than six times within the 

 last fifty years. The latter fact having been brought forward as 

 evidence of the extreme rigidity with which the north-to-south 

 line of flight is adhered to, its value will be apparent when com- 

 pared with the previous statements. The admission, too, that as 

 soon as one of Herr Gatke's best assistants became acquainted 



