DOTTEREL &31 



DOTTEREL 

 [W. FARREN] 



Although never very numerous as a breeding species in this 

 country, the dotterel has decreased in numbers so considerably during 

 the last half-century or so, that it is now one of the very rarest of our 

 nesting Waders. This appears to be due not so much to persecution 

 in its nesting-haunts although, being a rare bird, its eggs have always 

 been much sought after as to the fact that great numbers used to be 

 killed on the spring migration. Apparently the British nesting birds 

 do not follow a coast-line on migration, but pass along the eastern and 

 midland counties to their breeding-haunts on the hills of the north of 

 England and Scotland. They have well-known halting-places where 

 they stay for a few days, feeding and resting before continuing their 

 northward journey. These resting-places extend from Sussex and 

 Berkshire to Wiltshire, but not farther west. One of the most famous 

 localities in former years was the line of low chalk hills running from 

 the borders of Hertfordshire and Essex through East Cambridgeshire, 

 bordering the fen district to the brecklands of Suffolk and Norfolk. 

 There are others in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and farther 

 north. 



To such localities, regularly in the beginning of May, the dotterel 

 came in " trips," i.e. small parties of from five to twenty or more 

 birds, and although the earliest arrivals passed on after a few days, 

 others took their place, and for about a fortnight they might be found 

 in considerable numbers scattered over the arable land and chalk- 

 downs. Being at this time very tame and fearless, they fell easy 

 victims to the fowlers, who took large numbers in nets, which were 

 spread much after the manner of the nets used by birdcatchers at 

 the present day. Dotterel were greatly esteemed for the table, 



VOL. in. 2u 



