Mr, H. Seebohm on the Ornithology of Heligoland. 165 
the throat than the skins of this species in Dresser’s collec¬ 
tion, which he kindly allowed me to take to Heligoland for 
comparison; otherwise it agrees exactly. 
Amongst the immature specimens of Carpodacus Mr. Sharpe 
identified both C. roseus and C. erythrinus. 
Of the American species in the collection the two examples 
of Anthus ludovicianus agree exactly with American skins. 
The specimen of Hendrceca virens is in very perfect plumage, 
and does not show any signs of having been in captivity. A 
specimen of the American Rice-Bunting ( Dolichonyx oryzi - 
vorus) was also shot on the island; but the* wings and tail 
are so much broken that there is every probability of its 
having escaped from a cage. 
There is one example of Charadrius virginicus, and three of 
Charadrius longipes, in the collection. The two species seem 
to be very distinct. In both the axillaries are ashy grey. In 
C. longipes the wing measures 6'2 inches, the tail 2*4, the 
tarsus 1*7, end of secondaries to end of wing *44; the second¬ 
aries reach within T2 of the end of the third primary; and 
the first and second primaries are of equal length. In C . 
virginicus the wing measures 7*6, the tail 2*7, the tarsus 1*8, 
end of secondaries to end of wing T85 ; the secondaries reach 
to the end of the fifth primary; and the first primary is *8 
longer than the second. 
Of the two specimens of Eudromias asiaticus one is adult and 
the other young. In both birds the axillaries are pure white. 
There are several other birds which there is every reason 
to believe have been seen on Heligoland—for example, j Em- 
beriza luteola , Earns kamschatkensis, Phylloscopus fuscatus , 
Phylloscopus tristis, &c. 
The records of the appearance of these birds will find a 
fitting place in Mr. Gaetke’s book. The evidence of a marine 
artist, trained to catch a fleeting effect of form and colour 
and fix it in his memory, to be transferred to canvas, is of 
an entirely different rank to that of the ordinary sportsman 
or collector; but in an article for a severely scientific journal 
it will be wisest to content ourselves with quoting the witti¬ 
cism of the “ Old Bushman — What is hit is history ; what 
is missed is mystery. 
ser. iv.—VOL. i. 
N 
