THE DOTTEEEL. 



385 



the net." Such, at least, was the common belief; and 

 Pennant alludes to it, quoting the following passage from 

 the poet Dray ton : 



" Most worthy man, with thee 'tis ever thus, 

 As men take Dottrels, so hast thou ta'en us : 

 Which, as a man his arme or leg doth set, 

 So this fond bird will likewise counterfeit." 



THE DOTTEKEL. 



In Pennant's time, Dotterels were not uncommon in Cam- 

 bridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire, appearing in 

 small flocks of eight or ten only, from the latter end of 

 April to the middle of June ; and I have been informed 

 by a gentleman in Norfolk that, not many years since, 

 they annually resorted also, in small flocks, to the plains 

 of that county. Of late years, owing most probably to 

 their bein^g much sought after for the table, they have 

 become rare ; and the same thiiig has taken place in 

 France. 



c c 



