THE DOTTEREL. 119 



entire flock has been secured in this way with little or no 

 trouble. 



The Dotterel runs and flies easily and with a quick 

 active movement, and is fond of dusting itself. The note 

 is soft and low, and has been compared to that of the 

 common linnet, while some naturalists have likened the 

 sounds to the words " dun*/' " droo." The bird belongs to 

 the Grallatorial family, and is much esteemed as an article 

 of delicate eating. Large numbers of them used also to 

 be killed in the Lake districts for the sake of their wing 

 feathers, which are highly esteemed among anglers as 

 artificial fly-dressing. 



Before leaving this country Dotterels congregate in 

 large flocks, and remain thus together until their actual 

 departure, which usually occurs about September ; some, 

 however, have been known to remain until October. 



The beak of the Dotterel is short, nearly black ; the top 

 of the head and nape of the neck dark brown, bounded on 

 the sides and behind by a band of white ; ear-coverts, neck 

 and back, ash colour ; scapulars, wing-coverts, and tertials, 

 ash-brown edged with buff; wing primaries ash-grey, the 

 first with a broad white shaft; tail greyish-brown, the 

 middle feathers tipped *vith dull white, and the outside 

 feathers with broad ends of pure white, front and sides of 

 neck ash-grey ; across the breast is a band of white, 

 margined above and below with a dark line ; breast is a 

 rich fawn colour, blending into chestnut ; belly, black ; 

 vent and under tail-coverts white tinged with buff; under- 

 neath the wings are greyish-white ; the legs and toes are 

 greenish-yellow, and the claws black. The bird measures 

 about nine and a half inches, and usually weighs about 

 four or, five ounces. In the female the plumage is not so 



