Observations on the Dottrel. 301 



sort to heaths, barren pastures, fallow grounds, &c. in open 

 and exposed situations, where they continue if unmolested, 

 from ten days to a fortnight, and then retire to the mountains 

 in the vicinity of the lakes, to breed. The most favourite 

 breeding haunts of these birds, are always near to or on the 

 summits of the highest mountains, particularly those that are 

 densely covered with the woolly fringe-moss, [Trichostomum 

 lanuginosum, Hedw.), which indeed grows more or less pro- 

 fusely on nearly all the most elevated parts of this alpine dis- 

 trict.* In these lonely places they constantly reside the whole 

 of the breeding season, a considerable part of the time enve- 

 loped in clouds, and almost daily drenched with rain or wet- 

 ting mists, so extremely prevalent in these dreary regions : 

 and there can be little doubt that it is owing to this peculiar 

 feature in their economy, that they have remained so long in 

 obscurity during the period of incubation. The dottrel is by 

 no means a solitary bird at this time, as a few pair usually as- 

 sociate together, and live, to all appearance, in the greatest 

 harmony. These birds do not make any nest, but deposit 

 their eggs, (which seldom exceed three in number), in a small 

 cavity on dry ground covered with vegetation, and generally 

 near a mo derate -sized stone, or fragment of rock. In early 

 seasons old females will occasionally begin to lay their eggs 

 about the 26th of May, but the greater part seldom commence 

 before the first or second week in June. It would appear 

 however from the following facts, that they vary exceedingly 

 in this respect. On the 19th of July, 1833, a perfect egg was 

 taken out of a female, which had been recently killed on Ro- 

 binson; and on the 26th of May, 1834, I received four dot- 

 trels from Keswick, which had been shot on Great Gavel the 

 day before. In the ovary of one of them I found an egg al- 

 most quite ready for exclusion, being a difference of nearly 

 eight weeks. So great a discrepancy in all probability is of 

 very rare occurrence, yet it will subsequently appear that eggs 

 recently laid, and a young bird, a few days old, were found 

 on the same day, at no great distance from each other. The 

 males assist the females in the incubation of their eggs. How 

 long incubation continues I have not yet been able to ascer- 

 tain, but I am inclined to think that it rarely lasts much long- 

 er than eighteen or twenty days. A week or two previous to 

 their departure, they congregate in flocks, and continue to- 

 gether until they finally leave this county, which takes place 

 sometimes during the latter end of August, at others, not be- 



* The favourite breeding stations of the dottrel, are frequently called 

 'smittle places' by some of the guides and anglers at Keswick. 



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