THE DOTTEREL. '^41 



a well-covered ground ca\dty, where it is sheltered by 

 some rocky fragment. 



The hills of Scotland are also favourite resorts of 

 the dotterel. Although it is kno^^■n with us in some 

 numbers as a spring and summer visitant, we knov>' 

 nothing of its winter quarters. It lays three eggs, 

 and feeds upon insects, and lucky the mortal of epi- 

 curean gusto who sees before him a dish of these 

 dotterel. A propos of the bird as a table delicacy, and 

 in conjunction with our remark that its winter habits 

 are unknown, and its migration never noticed, we 

 give Captain Lacy's spicy anecdote : — " The sudden 

 departure of the dotterel tribe, alike remarkable for 

 rarity, beauty of plumage, and excellent flavour, may 

 sometimes be most satisfacto]ily accounted for, witliout 

 the interposition of a Yarrell or a Waterton. Some 

 years ago, a friend of mine had the good fortune to 

 fall in with a small ' trip ' of these birds, of which he 

 secured two couples, and sent them as a present to 

 his Grace the Archbishop of York, from whom he 

 received that urbane reply for which his grace is so 

 I'emarkable. At the period of their arrival at Bishop- 

 tliorpe, his grace v>-as from home, but sent strict 

 orders for them to be kept in their feathers, — the 

 dotterel being a bird whose plumage he had never 

 seen. It so happened that his grace was then about 

 to hold an ordination, and, therefore, resolved that 

 these choice morceaux should appear at his table on 

 the occasion. The candidates were numerous, and 

 amono" them was one who had been educated at 



