CHARADRIID.1':. 



535 



53^- 



THE DOTTEREL. 



Eudr6mias morinellus (Linnaeus). 



The Dotterel usually makes its appearance in the southern and 

 eastern counties of England towards the end of April or early in 

 May, according to the season ; leaving for the south in August or 

 the beginning of September. It is somewhat partial to the chalk- 

 formation, and considerable numbers used to sojourn for a few days 

 on the arable land of the low hills on the borders of Hertfordshire 

 and Cambridgeshire, as well as on the Chilterns and similar localities, 

 on their way northward. For at least a century it has been known 

 to breed on the mountains of the Lake district, but there is no 

 evidence that at any time during that period it was plentiful, though 

 its numbers have undoubtedly decreased of late years. For details 

 reference should be made to the Rev. H. A. Macpherson's ' Fauna 

 of Lakeland,' pp. 348-358. On migration the Dotterel often lingers 

 on the moors and marshes near the sea-coast on both sides of our 

 island, and is of tolerably wide distribution, except in Wales, where 

 it is of irregular occurrence. None remain during summer on the 

 Cheviots, along which the " trips " pass on their way northward in 

 spring, but according to Mr. Service a few pairs have nested on the 

 Galloway and Dumfriesshire hills ; while further north the bird 

 breeds in moderate numbers on the Grampian and Cairngorm 

 ranges at an altitude of 2,700 to 3,000 ft., and occupies a few locali- 



