110 PLUVIALIS MORINELLUS. 



that the following particulars will be interesting to some of 

 my ornithological readers. On the 3rd of July we found 

 three or four pair near the most elevated part of this moun- 

 tain, 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 permitted us to approach within 

 a short distance, without showing 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 remain 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, nevertheless 

 evinced considerable anxiety for their safety, whenever we 

 came near the place where they were concealed, and as long 

 as we remained in the vicinity, constantly flew to and fro 

 above us, uttering her note of alarm. 



" As soon as the young birds were fully feathered, two 

 were killed for the purpose of examining their plumage in 

 this state ; and we found that after they had been fired at 

 once or twice, they became more wary, and eventually we 

 had some little difficulty in approaching sufficiently near to 

 effect our purpose. The moult appears to commence some- 

 what early in old birds ; a male that was killed on the 25th 

 of July was completely covered with pen-feathers, and the 

 belly, from incubation, almost entirely bare. The stomachs 

 I dissected were all filled with elytra and remains of small 

 coleopterous insects, which in all probability constitute their 

 principal food during the breeding season. 



" These birds I understand are getting every year more 

 and more scarce in the neighbourhood of the lakes ; and 

 from the numbers that are annually killed by the anglers at 

 Keswick and the vicinity, (their feathers having long been 

 held in high estimation for dressing artificial flies,) it is 



