21G HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



by the fact that only a single representative of the species 

 has been secured in this country during the winter — it 

 was shot on Dartmoor on December 12th, 1886. 



The Dotterel arrive in this country towards the end of 

 April or commencement of May, and are said to make the 

 long migration flight from North Africa in the course 

 of a single night, since no records are to hand of their 

 having been observed at any intermediate halting-place 

 at this season. For some weeks after their arrival the 

 birds frequent the low grounds, feeding on various insects 

 in the fields, and it is not until near the end of May that 

 they leave civilisation and make their way to the highest 

 and most remote hill-tops, where they will rear their small 

 families amidst Alpine surroundings. 



It is quite an interesting point that this diminutive 

 Plover almost invariably chooses as a nesting site the hill 

 summits or plateaux, and on the hill slopes is very un- 

 commonly met with during the nesting season. I am 

 inclined to think that this can be explained by the fact 

 that An t-amadan mointeach is a great walker, running 

 quickly and easily over the short moss and crowberry 

 l^lants before the intruder, and hesitating to take flight 

 unless actually forced to do so. Now the vegetation on 

 the hillside is more dense and luxuriant than on the tops, 

 for the common heather {Calluna vulgaris) holds its stems 

 erect to a distance of a foot or more above ground, and 

 as a result the energetic and lively Dotterel is greatly 

 restricted in its movements. 



At the present time the Dotterel is, I regret to say, a 

 diminishing species in Scotland — its last stronghold in 

 these Islands — but will continue to hold its own, against 

 its enemies at all events, in several of its exposed nest- 

 ing grounds. Since Dotterel eggs are in great demand 

 with collectors at the present day, and since the birds 

 themselves are in requisition to yield up their plumage 



