236 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



and tongues of these when they are reduced to a 

 helpless condition. It is a resident bird, and only 

 the snows of winter drive them to the lowlands in 

 search of food. The hooded crow only comes as an 

 occasional visitant, though sometimes hybrids 

 between it and the carrion crow are shot among the 

 hills. In winter a few snow-buntings appear on 

 the mountains, but never long remain; they soon 

 pass on to the lower feeding grounds. Bean and 

 other geese occasionally stay for a time on some of 

 the tarns, but this is only en route. 



Either upon these mountains or elsewhere the 

 dotterel was probably never common, nor even 

 fairly plentiful. The small flocks which come in 

 May are called " trips," and immediately upon 

 reaching the coast they strike inland, follow the 

 back-bone of the country, and are brought up by the 

 mountains. Here, upon the spurs of the highest 

 hills among the mists, they nest. Hewitson spent 

 many annual vacations searching for a breed- 

 ing site, but never found one. Five or six pairs 

 frequently breed at no great distance from each 

 other, but make not the slightest attempt at building 

 a nest. They are exceedingly tame, and if frightened 

 from the nest run only to a short distance. The 

 dotterel rarely lays more than three eggs. Its call 

 is a low plaintive whistle, which cannot be heard at 

 any great distance, and this it often utters when 



