300 Observations on the Dottrel. 



being along the eastern coasts of the island. I may also add 

 that in my various excursions to the Highlands of Scotland, 

 I never met with the dottrel in the summer or breeding sea- 

 son, though its congener, the golden plover, was frequently 

 seen ; nor has any instance occurred of the nest, eggs, or im- 

 mature young of the bird having been yet found. It is seen 

 on its return from its breeding quarters, in particular haunts, 

 during the months of September and October, generally in fa- 

 milies of five or six together, being the old birds and their 

 brood : occasionally however, earlier appearance may happen, 

 as in the case of the bird mentioned by Colonel Thornton in 

 his 'Sporting Tour, 1 which he killed in Scotland, on the 16th 

 August ; and a dottrel, apparently a bird of the year, once 

 fell before my own gun when shooting grouse, on the 20th of 

 August. These, in all probability, were birds of early hatch- 

 ings, which appear frequently to precede the main bodies of 

 their species in their equatorial migration, as I have frequent- 

 ly remarked in the history of the sanderling. The dottrel has 

 always been considered a stupid bird, but for what reason I 

 cannot conceive. I allow that on its first arrival it shews but 

 little fear of man, but this I apprehend arises more from inex- 

 perience of persecution in its native wilds, than from any other 

 cause, and which appears evident from the birds, when ha- 

 rassed and repeatedly fired at, soon becoming too cautious to 

 admit of near approach any longer. Their habits also contri- 

 bute to render them unwary; for being nocturnal feeders, (like 

 many others as the CharadriacUe), they are at rest and asleep 

 during the greater part of the day, in which state also the 

 golden plover, (a wary bird when roused), will frequently ad- 

 mit of a close approach. As to the story of the dottrel mi- 

 micking the actions of the fowler, by stretching out its leg, 

 wing, or head, when he sets the example, it without doubt 

 arose from the motions that they, as well as other birds, usu- 

 ally and most naturally make, when roused from a state of 

 repose, and which every one who attends to the habits of the 

 feathered race, must, (in flocks of gulls, tringas, plovers, &c), 

 have frequently observed."* 



Having disposed of this question I will now narrate, as 

 succinctly as possible, what has fallen under my own obser- 

 vation relative to the habits and economy of this bird. In 

 the neighbourhood of Carlisle dottrels seldom make their ap- 

 pearance before the middle of May, about which time they 

 are occasionally seen in different localities, in flocks which 

 vary in number from five to fifteen, and almost invariably re- 



* Selby's « Illustrations of British Ornithology,* vol. ii. p. 236. 1833. 



