DOTTEREL. 489 



for the eggs of the Dottrel, I had, of course, ample oppor- 

 tunities of observing their manners ; and I flatter myself 

 that the following particulars will be interesting to some of 

 my ornithological readers. On the 3rd of July we found 

 three or four pair near the most elevated part of this 

 mountain ; and on all our visits thither, whether early in 

 the morning or late in the afternoon, the greater part were 

 always seen near the same place, sitting on the ground. 

 When first discovered, they permitted us to approach with- 

 in a short distance, without showing any symptoms of 

 alarm ; and frequently afterwards, when within a few paces, 

 watching their movements, some would move slowly about 

 and pick up an insect, others would remain motionless, 

 now and then stretching out their wings, and a few would 

 occasionally toy with each other, at the same time uttering 

 a few low notes, which had some resemblance to those of 

 the Common Linnet. In short, they appeared to be so 

 very indifferent with regard to our presence, that at last 

 my assistant could not avoid exclaiming, ' What stupid 

 birds these are ! ' The female that had young, neverthe- 

 less, evinced considerable anxiety for their safety, whenever 

 we came near the place where they were concealed, and 

 as long as we remained in the vicinity constantly flew 

 to and fro above us, uttering her note of alarm. 



" As soon as the young birds were fully feathered, two 

 were killed for the purpose of examining their plumage in 

 this state ; and we found that after they had been fired at 

 once or twice, they became more wary, and eventually we 

 had some little difficulty in approaching sufficiently near 

 to effect our purpose. The moult appears to commence 

 somewhat early in old birds ; a male that was killed on the 

 25th of July, was completely covered with pen-feathers, 

 and the belly, from incubation, almost entirely bare. The 

 stomachs I dissected were all filled with the elytra, and 



