THE DOTTEREL 239 



snows have been dispersed by the sun's heat ; but, so 

 far as I am informed, it does not nest east of the water- 

 shed between the Yenesei and Lena Rivers. During its 

 southern migration the Dotterel makes a stay of a few 

 days at various locahties along our coast-line. To many 

 of these visitors man is quite unknown, and their confi- 

 dence in his good intentions often leads to their destruc- 

 tion. 



In olden days five or six sportsmen used to go out to 

 a spot which Dotterel frequented, and having discovered 

 the birds, stretched a net at some distance beyond them. 

 Then they advanced slowly and without sound, throwing 

 small sticks or stones to arouse the birds from their dozing. 

 These fowlers firmly believed that the birds mimicked 

 whatever they saw, and thus attempted to amuse them by 

 extending a leg or arm. By such manoeuvres the flock 

 were gradually guided to the spot where the net was ready 

 to receive them. As Dotterel made excellent eating, 

 the fowlers went to considerable trouble to obtain a good 

 haul of birds. 



Since the female Dotterel is the more brightly-coloured 

 of the two, it may be as well to give a detailed description 

 of her. The general colour of the upper parts is pale grey- 

 ish brown, this brown being darker on the wings and tail. 

 The shaft of the first primary is white, and the outer tail 

 feathers are broadly tipped with white. Wing coverts, 

 innermost secondaries, and scapulars edged with rich buff. 

 Crown and back of the head bluish black ; from above the 

 eye two white stripes extend, one over each eye, and join 

 together on the nape. Chin and upper throat white ; 

 cheeks and ear coverts white, spotted with dark brown. 

 The greyish brown of the back extends round the neck 

 across the breast, where it suddenly ends in a white band 

 faintly margined above and below with black. The 

 under parts below the breast are rich chestnut, shading 



