302 Observations on the Dottrel. 



fore the beginning of September. A few birds no doubt are 

 occasionally seen after this period, but they are either late 

 broods, or birds that are returning from more northern lati- 

 tudes. This autumn I visited several breeding stations on 

 the 25th of August, and again on the 2nd of September, but 

 in neither instance could I observe a single individual. 



Anxious as I have been for several years past to procure 

 the eggs of the dottrel, for the purpose of adding undoubted 

 specimens of so rare an egg to my cabinet, as well as to prove 

 beyond all doubt that this bird breeds in Cumberland, 

 yet it was not until the present year that I had the gratifica- 

 tion of accomplishing an object which I have had so long in 

 view. After repeated excursions through the lake district, 

 this summer, for the express purpose, I was so fortunate as to 

 obtain their eggs in two different localities, namely, three on 

 Whiteside, contiguous to Helvellyn, on the 29th of June ; and 

 two on the 5th of July, on Robinson, in the vicinity of But- 

 termere. The former had been incubated twelve or fourteen 

 days, the latter were only recently laid, and in both instances 

 the birds were seen to leave their eggs ; one, on quitting them, 

 immediately spread out its wings and tail, which it trailed on 

 the ground a short distance, and then went away without ut- 

 tering a single note. On this day, (5th July, 1835), a young 

 bird, a few days old, was also captured. 



Having spent a considerable portion of several days on Ro- 

 binson, in company with a very able assistant, searching for 

 the eggs of the dottrel, I had, of course, ample opportunities 

 of observing their manners ; and I flatter myself that the fol- 

 lowing particulars will be interesting to some of my ornitho- 

 logical readers. On the 3rd of July we found three or four 

 pair near the most elevated part of this mountain, and on all 

 our visits thither, whether early in the morning or late in the 

 afternoon, the greater part were always seen near the same 

 place, sitting on the ground. When first discovered, they per- 

 mitted us to approach within a short distance, without shew- 

 ing any symptoms of alarm ; and frequently afterwards, when 

 within a few paces, watching their movements, some would 

 move slowly about and pick up an insect, others would re- 

 main motionless, now and then stretching out their wings, and 

 a few would occasionally toy with each other, at the same time 

 uttering a few low notes, which had some resemblance to those 

 of the common linnet, {Linaria cannabina). In short they 

 appeared to be so very indifferent with regard to our presence, 

 that at last my assistant could not avoid exclaiming, " what 

 stupid birds these are ! " The female that had young, never- 

 theless evinced considerable anxiety for their safety, when- 



