384 Charadriadce. 



the Druid's Head on Saturday, March 12th of this year (1887), 

 and the Hon. Gerald Lascelles reports a good-sized flock near 

 Everley, also in March last (1887). These recent occurrences 

 prove that it is not yet extinct, but I fear it is every year 

 becoming more scarce in this county, and will soon be as 

 completely wanting on our downs as the Great Bustard itself. 



Its flesh it considered a great dainty, and in the days of its 

 abundance on our downs it was eagerly sought for by fowlers. 

 It may be readily known by the dark orange brown of the breast, 

 which deepens into black lower down ; and by the streak of 

 black and another of white which cross the breast. It is a 

 nocturnal feeder, and rests by day, and has a habit of stretching 

 out its legs, wings and head, as many other birds do, when roused 

 from a state of repose ; but from this habit, wherein it has been 

 credited with aping the actions of the fowler who was in pursuit 

 of it, it derives its specific name morinelius, ' little fool,' or 

 ' simpleton/ as if the actions above described were in imitation 

 of those of human beings, and were peculiar to this species alone. 

 The Arabic name for it is El Molir, * The Rich/ but I know not 

 the origin of that appellation : I should rather incline to think 

 that /Ao?po9, ' a fool/ was the root of that word too. Our English 

 word ' dotterel ' is interpreted by Professor Skeat to signify ' a 

 foolish bird/ from the old word dote, ' to be foolish/ remains of 

 which we may see in dotage, dotard, etc. In France it is 

 Pluvier guignard, ' Gaping (or Leering) Plover ;' in Germany, 

 Der dumme Regenpfeifer, ' The Stupid Plover ;' in Italy, Piviere 

 de corrione, ' Simpleton Plover / but in Spain, Chorlito marismeiio, 

 t Plover of the Salt-water Lake ;' and in Sweden, Fjall-Piparc, 

 ' Fj all-Piper.' It is a smart dapper little species, and its 

 dwindled numbers and rapid extinction from among our down 

 birds is much to be lamented. 



The tenth of May, says Mr. Howard Saunders, quoting from 

 Hone's ' Every-Day Book/ used to be known on the borders of 



plover, a sege of herons, a covert of coots, a herd of swans, a skein of geese 

 (when flying), a gaggle of geese (when at rest), a team of wild duck, a 

 sprig of teal, a dropping of sheldrake. 



