THE DOTTEREL 



{e UDR 0^ II A S MORI NELL US ) 



TTTHETHER the Dotterel ever bred on any 

 ' ^ of the hills in the south of England does 

 not appear to be certainly known ; but there is 

 abundant evidence to show that in former times 

 the bird occurred in some abundance during the 

 season of its migrations on the hills and downs 

 bordering the English Channel and elsewhere 

 farther inland. Possibly some of these remained 

 to breed. Nowadays the Dotterel is not only rare 

 on passage, but has been well-nigh if not com- 

 pletely exterminated in many of its British nesting- 

 places. In this case we cannot exactly lay the 

 blame of extermination to the collector ; although 

 we have reason for stating that its eggs are sought 

 eagerly by oologists and dealers, especially now 

 the bird has become " rare " and British-taken eggs 

 are at a premium. The Dotterel is now so rare 



because it has been slaughtered so wantonly, not 

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