30 2 2^he Scottish Naturalist. 



95. EuDROMiAS MORiNELLUS, Boic. (Dotterel.) 



The Dotterel, which is strictly a migrant, reaches its breeding- 

 grounds on our higher hills towards the middle of May, there 

 being, I am happy to say, a few of these birds still to be seen in 

 some of the upper parts of the district, but, like most others of 

 the tribe, it has sadly diminished of late years, and in many parts 

 where once not uncommon, it has entirely disappeared. This is 

 especially the case on that part of the Sidlaws above the Carse 

 braes, where the Dotterel was in former days frequently to be 

 met with, but now is altogether unknown. 



96. H.^MATOPUS OSTRALEGUS, Linn. (Oyster-Catcher.) 



This beautiful bird, not being much in quest either by the 

 sportsman or the professional gunner as an article either of sport 

 or food, is still, I am glad to say, pretty abundant, though were 

 it not for the continual robbing of its eggs as a delicacy, it would 

 be greatly more so ; but, fortunately, it requires a well-practised 

 eye to find them, the eggs being so exactly the colour of the 

 stones among which they are laid, and one of which is gene- 

 rally placed in the nest along with them, that they are pretty safe 

 from detection, at least by a novice, who may easily pass wdthin 

 a foot without observing them. But the cleverest hunter for 

 them I ever saw was a very large Newfoundland dog, who not 

 only scented out the nests, but brought the eggs one by one to 

 his master, returning each time to the nest for a fresh one, and 

 so gently mouthing them that there never was an instance of a 

 breakage. The Sea Plot, by which name this bird is more com- 

 monly known, is one of the most regular of our local migrants, 

 frequenting the upper portions of the district in summer, and 

 retiring to the sea-shore in winter. Almost to a day, about the 

 15th of March, on all the straths and haughs of Earn, Tay, and 

 Tummel, may be heard the shrill piping cry, announcing their 

 arrival on the breeding-grounds, situated on the broad shingly 

 banks and islands, where they judiciously make use of such 

 spots for the deposit of their eggs as to be out of reach of all 

 ordinary spates ; occupying during feeding-time the neighbouring 

 fields and pastures, where they may often be seen following the 

 plough, like the Rook, in search of worms and grubs, or associat- 

 ing themselves on the lower grounds along with the cattle. The 

 Oyster-Catcher has been scheduled, and, I think, somewhat 

 erroneously, in the Sea- Bird Act ; whereas it seems to me that it 



