OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. i37 



and grubs, and the tender buds and shoots of plants. In 

 Palestine, Canon Tristram observed this species feeding on small 

 white snails of various species. During winter the Dotterel 

 often congregates into enormous flocks, which frequent the 

 various southern steppes and plains, and here they are described 

 as being just as tame as in the breeding places. 



Nidification. — From the nature of the country it frequents 

 the Dotterel is a rather late breeder, and even in our islands the 

 eggs are seldom laid before the end of May or the first week in 

 June. In higher latitudes they are, of course, later still. There 

 is much of interest attached to the nesting of the Dotterel. In 

 the first place the hen is larger and more handsomely coloured 

 than the cock, and, as is usual in such very exceptional cases, the 

 male bird not only performs the greater part of the duty of in- 

 cubation, but takes the largest share in the task of bringing up 

 the young ! The nest is merely a slight hollow amongst the moss 

 and lichen or grass near the mountain-tops, or on the open 

 tundra. The eggs are invariably three in number, and very 

 handsome objects,' varying from yellowish olive to pale buff in 

 ground colour, richly blotched and spotted with dark brown, and 

 much more sparingly with slate-gray. They measure on an 

 average i'6 inch in length by I'l inch in breadth. Incubation 

 lasts from eighteen to twenty-one days. At the nest the old birds 

 are very wary, if somewhat tame, and run about or fly from place to 

 place, tiring all but the most patient watcher, and only returning to 

 the eggs when the intruder is considered by the watchful owners to 

 be at a sufficiently safe distance. When the nest is discovered 

 the parent often feigns lameness, and seeks to lure an intruder 

 away by various cunning artifices. Only one brood is reared in 

 the year. Fresh eggs of this species have been found on the 

 Cumberland hills as late as July, probably the produce of birds 

 that had lost their first clutch, or were accustomed to breed in 

 higher latitudes, but had remained behind in our islands. 



Diagnostic Characters. — Charadrius, with the axillaries 

 gray, and the bill shorter than the middle toe without the claw. 

 In breeding plumage this species is easily recognised by its rich 

 chestnut breast and flanks and black belly. Length, 9 inches. 



