BIRD MIGRATION AT HELIGOLAND. 165 



during the last fifteen years, been obtained here but once or twice 

 about every third year. 



More surprising still is Mr. Seebohm's attempt to rank the 

 Rustic Bunting among the regular autumnal visitors of Heligo- 

 land. In my collection this species is represented by eight 

 specimens, obtained here between 1840 and 1883, one more 

 having been caught during a temporary absence of mine, but 

 spoiled for preservation; these nine birds include all the in- 

 stances of its capture on Heligoland, for since 1883 no Rustic 

 Bunting has been shot here. And on so scant a number of 

 cases, scattered over more than half a century, Mr. Seebohm 

 rests his assertion that this Bunting is a regular, and not an 

 accidental, visitor to Heligoland. It may be added that, respect- 

 ing Great Britain, only three instances of the capture of this 

 species are on record. 



The Little Bunting, like the foregoing species, breeds 

 throughout the whole north of Asia, and its winter- quarters are 

 likewise in China and India, its normal autumnal migration 

 flight being south ; western deviations, therefore, can also be 

 attributed only to meteorological influences, and happen for this 

 cause very irregularly. Altogether I have obtained this Bunting 

 on Heligoland from twenty-five to thirty times ; but this com- 

 paratively considerable number is not spread evenly over the 

 fifty-five years of my ornithological pursuits. From 1845 to 1852 

 this bird was shot here once or twice every autumn ; then followed 

 a great scarcity till 1879, during the latter part of September and 

 greater part of October of which year this Bunting — together 

 with the Rustic Bunting — was observed frequently and shot 

 repeatedly ; since the latter date — that is to say during the last 

 thirteen years — not a single specimen has been obtained ; all 

 these years westerly winds prevailed during the autumnal migra- 

 tion periods. In Great Britain this Bunting has been taken 

 but once. 



Considering the above facts, it would appear rather a rash 

 undertaking to pronounce Emberiza pusilla a regular, instead of 

 an accidental, visitor to Heligoland. 



Mr* Seebohm further states that I did not, and in fact could 

 not, know and distinguish a young bird, in its first spring 

 dress, from adults of the same species; the absurdity of 

 such a statement is almost too great to call for any remark. 



