460 CHARADRIID.E. 



" Having spent a considerable portion of several days on 

 Robinson, in company with a very able assistant, searching 

 for the eggs of the Dottrel, I had, of course, ample opportu- 

 nities of observing their manners ; and I flatter myself that 

 the following particulars will be interesting to some of my 

 ornithological readers. On the 3rd of July we found three 

 or four pair near the most elevated part of this mountain ; 

 and on all our visits thither, whether early in the morning 

 or late in the afternoon, the greater part were always seen 

 near the same place, sitting on the ground. When first 

 discovered, they permitted us to approach within a short 

 distance, without showing any symptoms of alarm ; and 

 frequently afterwards, when within a few paces, watching 

 their movements, some would move slowly about and pick 

 up an insect, others would remain motionless, now and 

 then stretching out their wings, and a few would occasion- 

 ally toy with each other, at the same time uttering a few 

 low notes, which had some resemblance to those of the 

 Common Linnet. In short, they appeared' to be so very 

 indifferent with regard to our presence, that at last my 

 assistant could not avoid exclaiming, c What stupid birds 

 these are ! ' The female that had young, nevertheless, 

 evinced considerable anxiety for their safety, whenever 

 we came near the place where they were concealed, and 

 as long as we remained in the vicinity, constantly flew 

 to and fro above us, uttering her note of alarm. 



" As soon as the young birds were fully feathered, two 

 were killed for the purpose of examining their plumage in 

 this state ; and we found that after they had been fired at 

 once or twice, they became more wary, and eventually 

 we had some little difficulty in approaching sufficiently 

 near to effect our purpose. The moult appears to commence 

 somewhat early in old birds ; a male that was killed on the 



