METHOD OF CAPTURING DOTTERELS. 309 



whereby it is stated, that it was thought the imitation was not re- 

 garded by the birds, nor did such conduce to the taking of them.* 



Dotterels are naturally sluggish birds, more especially at night : 

 the time when the ancient fowler used to put his plans in operation 

 for taking them. And it is a habit of sluggish birds on being 

 aroused, when unsuspicious of danger, to stretch their legs and wings, 

 regardless of the fowler's movements, or seeking in the least to 

 imitate his actions. I have seen stints and red shanks, as well as 

 dotterels, perform these supposed acts of mimicry by broad daylight, 

 when I have been rowing leisurely along* the banks of the water in 

 a gunning punt ; having approached gradually upon them, and with- 

 out sudden appearance or noise, I have frequently found them in an 

 apparently lethargic state, when they stretched out their leg's and 

 wings singly before running off along the shore with their companions. 

 But beyond this I have never found them more mimical or easy of 

 capture than stints, redshanks, and others of the species. It is easy 

 to believe that the dotterel imitates the fowler to the extent only of 

 running after the lamp or lighted candle at night ; but sparrows, and 

 many other birds, will do this. Wild beasts, on the contrary, always 

 shun a light, and purposely avoid it ; so that the natives of countries 

 infested with such animals burn a fire all night outside their huts for 

 the express purpose of keeping wild animals away. 



As a further proof of the tame and lethargic habits of the dotterel, 

 it was customary for six or seven persons to proceed together in 

 attempting to catch them with the candle and nets employed by the 

 ancient fowler ; each of these persons was provided with two large 

 stones, and by holding one in each hand, and clapping them together, 

 after the net was cast, as much clatter was made as possible, so as to 

 rouse the dotterels, and drive them into the net.f 



The dotterel has evidently obtained notoriety as being one of the 

 most foolish and ridiculous of birds, so that it has become proverbial 

 to speak of a foolish or dull person as a " silly dotterel :" an ex- 

 pression often heard at the present day. 



Willugliby's Ornithology, by Eay. 



