870 The Zoologist — August, 18G7. 



to, and although the notes were not so musical as those of the day 

 warblers, yet they seemed well suited to the time and scene ; for all 

 the owls on Redbank were hooting, and an answering challenge, 

 softened by distance, was returned from their brethren on Fairfield ; 

 and between the shoutings of these noisy owls, came another sound, 

 less distinctly heard, but more prolonged, that seemed to run all up 

 and down along the dark wood-side, — once heard not to be forgotten, 

 — the jarring note of the night-hawk, that peculiar burring, long-drawn 

 note, a sound which is so totally unlike that made by any other bird, 

 and the locality of which it is so difficult to fix ; and, nearer still, from 

 amongst the reeds and water-lillies, and along the margin of the placid 

 mere, coots were clanking, the restless sandpipers whistling; and, not 

 to be put down by any of them, the little reed wren rattling away at its 

 own wild song, and, not content with that, appropriating the notes of 

 many another bird then quietly at rest in the woods of Silverhow. 



Dotterel. — All endeavours to find these birds have been unavailing: 

 1 have walked upwards of one hundred miles over these hills, the greater 

 portion of this distance over very likely dotterel-ground, without either 

 seeing or hearing any ; and yet almost everyone spoken to on the 

 subject, — guides, shepherds, &c, — tells me that they may still be 

 found in the district, some years indeed in considerable numbers. All 

 agree that this year they are few and far between ; and I believe this 

 is the case, as I certainly must have either seen or heard some in the 

 ground walked over. They arrive in this district about the last week 

 in May, and are then much sought after by local fly-fishers for the sake 

 of their feathers. A gentleman at Grasmere told me that he had this 

 season given half-a-crown for one; and auother person informed me 

 he had been out frequently on the fells with his gun, but had not yet 

 met with any. A shepherd had seen them lately on Helvellyn ; and a 

 car-driver at Keswick told me that a few weeks since he took a nest, 

 containing two eggs, on one of the neighbouring fells. Have frequently 

 been told I should certainly find them on such a hill, or range of 

 hills; every attempt, however, and I gave up a large portion of my 

 time for this purpose, ended in disappointment. 



Golden Plover. — Not uncommon on the higher fells, where they 

 breed. Saw several pairs of golden plover on the Borrowdale Fells, 

 a situation well adapted for their summer residence. These fells com- 

 prise Bleaherry Fell, High-seat and High Raise — a great wild moor- 

 land, miles in extent, seldom visited except by the hill shepherds : it 

 contains extensive bogs, — now white with cottou-grass, — some miles 



