DOTTEREL PLOVER. 107 



In the south of England it generally arrives about the 20th 

 of April, in small flocks which pass over the midland and 

 eastern counties, some settling on the northern hills, espe- 

 cially those of Cumberland and Westmoreland ; others on 

 the Lammermoor Hills, and the western and middle Gram- 

 pians. During its sojourn in the southern districts, it fre- 

 quents the open downs and ploughed fields, where it searches 

 for worms and insects ; but for its breeding places it selects 

 the more elevated heaths. 



In the parish of Towie, in Aberdeenshire, I met with a 

 very large flock on a low hill, on the 10th of September, 

 1821, and was assured by a gentleman residing at its foot 

 that they bred on the elevated moors every year. This flock 

 precisely resembled one of Golden Plovers immediately after 

 the breeding season. Not having been molested, the birds 

 merely ran along before us as we approached them. Several, 

 on being first roused, stretched up their wings, as is custo- 

 mary with all the birds of this group, and moved about in a 

 listless sort of way, seeming to entertain little apprehension 

 of danger. On being urged, they rose on wing, but presently 

 alighted in the neighbourhood. It is this insensibility to 

 danger which has procured for them the names of Dotterels 

 and Morinelli, or little fools. It has been alleged, too, that 

 by stupidly looking on, and imitating the gestures of the 

 fowler, they suffered themselves to be driven into the net ; 

 but this propensity to imitate is probably imaginary, although 

 it is certain that the bird often runs along with an out- 

 stretched wing, which might be supposed to be in imitation 

 of an elevated arm. When shot at they are said often to fly 

 around and over the birds that have been killed or wounded, 

 and to alight in the neighbourhood ; but after being harassed, 

 they become more wary, and fly to a distance. In unfre- 

 quented parts of Scotland, the Golden Plovers are scarcely 

 more suspicious, inasmuch that one may by walking round 

 a scattered flock drive them into a compact body, before 

 shooting, as I have myself often done. 



The only good account of the habits of this bird, derived 

 from the author's own observation, is the following by T. C. 

 Heysham, Esq., published in the Magazine of Natural His- 



