WILD LIFE ON THE SUSSEX DOWNS 



white, and grey, with white throat and cheeks, olive- 

 brown upper colouring, and black stomach, is nowadays, 

 for various reasons, very scarce in Britain. It has been 

 reduced from its former plenty, partly in the way of 

 sport, partly for its plumage, which fly-fishers prize 

 highly, and latterly for the simple reason that it is a 

 scarce creature. This plover, which winters in Pales- 

 tine and North Africa, still appears sparingly in Eng- 

 land towards April and May, and from thence till early 

 June is occasionally to be noted. Each spring a few 

 dotterel alight upon the South Downs, and, especially 

 during May, are to be observed by the sharp-eyed 

 lover of nature. Such an observer of nature must, 

 however, be abroad early and often at this season, if he 

 wishes to set eyes upon this handsome but somewhat 

 foolish plover. 



These birds occasionally appear with us on their 

 return migration in September and October. I saw a 

 pair while riding on the downs above Eastbourne only 

 last October. 



The dotterel has always had a reputation for silli- 

 ness ; its very name is the diminutive of dotard, and 

 a doting foolishness is certainly a characteristic of this 

 too confiding creature. No bird is more unsuspicious 

 or more easily shot. In the days when our forefathers 

 netted their game, the fowlers laid it to the charge of 

 this bird that he even played the fool in close contact 

 with the deadly net. Bacon says of him, '* In catching 

 of dotterels we see how the foolish bird playeth the ape 

 in gesture." Probably the poor silly creature was 

 merely feinting and tumbling in the air, as some of the 

 plovers — even the wary green species— will do, especi- 

 ally during the nesting season. I count it among my 

 choicest spring pleasures upon the downs to have set 

 eyes upon this rare bird in this region. The dotterel 



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