334, 



THE DOTTEREL. 



The length of the dotterel is about ten inches. The bill is 

 not quite an inch long, and is black. The forehead is mottled 

 with brown and grey : the top of the head is black ; and over 

 each eye there is an arched line of white, which passes to the 

 hind part of the neck. The cheeks and throat are white ; the 

 back and wings are of a light brown inclining to olive, each fea- 

 ther margined with pale rust colour. The fore part of the neck 

 is surrounded by a broad band of a light olive colour, bordered 

 below with white. The breast is of a pale dull orange ; the 

 middle of the belly black; and the rest of the belly and the thighs 

 are of a reddish white. The tail is olive brown, black near the 

 end, and tipped with white ; and the outer feathers are margined 

 with white. The legs are of a dark olive. 



These birds are migratory : appearing in flocks of eight or 

 ten, about the end of April ; and staying all May and June, 

 when they become very fat, and are much esteemed for the table. 

 They are found in tolerable plenty in Cambridgeshire, Lincoln- 

 shire, and Derbyshire ; but in other parts of the kingdom they 

 are scarcely known. They are supposed to breed among the 

 mountains of Westmoreland and Cumberland. 



The dotterel is in its manners a very singular bird, and may 

 be taken by the most simple artifice. The country people are 

 sometimes said to go in quest of it, in the night, with a lighted 

 torch or candle : and the bird on these occasions will mimic the 

 actions of the fowler with great archness. When he stretches 

 out an arm, it stretches out its wing ; if he moves a foot, it 

 moves one also ; and every other motion it endeavours to imi- 

 tate. This is the opportunity that the fowler takes of entangling 



