204 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



They run with great speed, and are very difficult to see on 

 the ground. Mr. Dennis, in notes he has kindly sent me, 

 mentions having seen and shot Dotterels from a trip of 

 thirteen, on the hill above Blatchington, on March 22nd, 

 1853, and shortly afterwards twenty were reported to him 

 as having been seen in a piece of rape, at Blackstone. On 

 April 12th, 1858, eight birds were seen by him on the 

 Blatchington hill ; on the 24th he shot a couple, and on the 

 25th three young and two old birds. Mr. Jeffery informs 

 me that three of these birds were shot at Runcton, near 

 Chichester, on May 25th, 1859, and one at Sidlesham, on 

 November 10th, 1875, and, in the same month, another at 

 Eamley. They are much esteemed for the table. 



Of the name Dotterel, Camden somewhere remarks : — " So 

 called from their extreme doatishness, which occasions these 

 imitative birds to be caught by the fowlej's gestures by 

 candle-light." And in FuUer^s ' Worthies of England,^ ed. 

 folio, 1662, p. 149, maybe found the following : — "This is an 

 avis je\(OTOTroio<!, a mirthmaJcing bird, so ridiculously mimical 

 that he is easily caught (or rather catcheth himself) by his 

 overactive imitation. There is a sort of apes in India caught 

 by the natives thereof, after this manner. They dress a little 

 boy in his sight, undress him again, leave all the child's apparel 

 in the place, and then depart a competent distance. The 

 ape presently attireth himself in the same garments, till the 

 child's clothes become his chains, putting off his feet by putting 

 on his shoes, not able to run to any purpose, and so is soon 

 taken. The same humour otherwise pursued, betrayeth the 

 Dotterels. As ih.e fowler stretcheth forth his arms and legs 

 going towards the bird, the bird extendeth his legs and wings 

 approaching the fowler, till surprised in the net. But it is 

 observed that the foolisher the fowl or fish (woodcocks, 

 dotterels, cods' -heads, &c.) the finer the flesh thereof " 



