92 Among tJie Birds in Northern Shires. 



in June. It would seem that the birds do not retire 

 to the elevated nesting-grounds directly they arrive, 

 but frequent the more lowland fields for a week or 

 so ere ascending to them. The summer home of 

 the Dotterel is shared, in some instances at least, 

 with that still more mountain bird, the Ptarmigan. 

 The Dotterel is one of the very few species in which 

 the hen bird is larger and more brightly coloured 

 than the cock, and the latter consequently incubates 

 the eggs and takes the greater share in the task of 

 rearing the young. The hen is even said to take 

 the initiative in courtship, but we have yet to learn 

 that the "new woman" has quoted the fact in sup- 

 port of her advanced opinions! But then the Dotterel 

 is widely known by the accompanying and preceding 

 epithet of "foolish ", and its English name is said to 

 be the diminutive of " Dolt"; whilst its Latin name 

 of niorinellus is said by some to have been derived 

 from vioriLS, a fool — facts which those interested in 

 so-called " sex problems " will also do well to bear in 

 mind. 



Now a few words respecting the bird-life of the 

 lochs. These lochs, so far as the present chapter is 

 concerned, may be divided into two distinct classes. 

 First, we have the mountain pools — sheets of water 

 of varying size, often at considerable elevations, 

 situated in hollows among the hills, and an especial 

 feature of many districts in the Highlands. Second, 



