196 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



bird is not unlike the Golden Plover, swift and graceful, with 

 powerful strokes. Its notes vary according to circumstances, 

 but the attempts to formulate them convey little ; a low, 

 plaintive whistle and a harsh call of alarm are the best known, 

 but at the nest there is a soft, parental twitter. 



Typical Dotterel ground is barren, stone littered, and almost 

 without vegetation ; the bird nests on the black soil near the 

 wind-swept tops, seldom below the 2000-foot contour. The 

 three buft" or stone-coloured, brown blotched eggs (Plate 57), 

 less pyriform and more tern-like than those of most waders, 

 are placed in a shallow scrape, usually lacking lining or 

 decoration. Eggs are sometimes laid before the end of May, 

 but the middle of June is the normal time for incubation. 

 Though the sitter will sometimes rise with a cry of alarm it 

 usually slips away quietly, and at once begins by spreading 

 and trailing wings and tail, and falling as if disabled, ex- 

 travagant performances to lure the intruder from the nest. 

 But if the eggs or young are handled the parent returns to 

 within arm's reach and falls about in a frenzied effort to attract 

 attention. If, however, the nest is undisturbed the bird will 

 return and brood eggs or young at the very feet of the observer. 

 The down of the nestlings is grey, mottled and streaked with 

 buft", chestnut, and black ; there is a white band on the nape ; 

 the legs are at first lead colour, but soon show yellow on the 

 feet ; the bill is black and the irides brown, as in later life. 



Some dogmatically affirm that the female, which is the larger 

 bird, is also brighter in her colours, whilst others are as 

 emphatic that she is duller ; examination of sexed birds proves 

 that there is little difference. Both sexes incubate, which may 

 explain the confusion. The back and wings of the adult bird 

 are brownish grey, neatly patterned on the coverts with rufous 

 margins. The top of the head is brownish black, and below 

 this is the curved white stripe from the forehead to the nape ; 

 the face and throat are white, and a dark streak passes through 



