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grounds, &c, in open and exposed situations, where they continue, if unmolested, from ten days 

 to a fortnight, and then retire to the mountains, in the vicinity of the lakes, to breed. The 

 most favourite breeding-haunts of these birds are always near to or on the summits of the 

 highest mountains, particularly those that are densely covered with the woolly-fringed moss 

 (Trichostomum lanuginosum, Hedw.), which, indeed, grows more or less profusely on nearly all 

 the most elevated parts of this alpine district. In these lonely places they constantly reside the 

 whole of the breeding-season, a considerable part of the time enveloped in the clouds, and almost 

 daily drenched with rain or wetting mists so extremely prevalent in these dreary regions ; and 

 there can be little doubt that it is owing to this peculiar feature in their economy that they have 

 remained so long in obscurity during the period of incubation. The Dotterel is by no means a 

 solitary bird at this time, as a few pair usually associate together, and live to all appearance in 

 the greatest harmony. These birds do not make any nest, but deposit their eggs (which seldom 

 exceed three in number) in a small cavity on dry ground covered with vegetation, and generally 

 near a moderate-sized stone, or fragment of rock. In early seasons old females will occasionally 

 begin to lay their eggs about the 26th of May ; but the greater part seldom commence before the 

 first or second week in June. It would appear, however, from the following facts that they vary 

 exceedingly in this respect. On the 19th July, 1833, a perfect egg was taken out of a female 

 which had been recently killed on Robinson, and on the 26th of May, 1834, I received four 

 Dottrels from Keswick which had been shot on Great Gavel the day before : in the ovary of one 

 of them I found an egg almost quite ready for exclusion, being a difference of nearly eight weeks. 

 So great a discrepancy, in all probability, is of very rare occurrence; yet it will subsequently 

 appear that eggs recently laid and a young bird a few days old were both found on the same day 

 at no great distance apart. The males assist the females in the incubation of their eggs. How 

 long incubation continues I have not yet been able to ascertain ; but I am inclined to think that 

 it rarely lasts much longer than eighteen or twenty days. A week or two previous to their 

 departure they congregate in flocks, and continue together until they finally leave this county, 

 which they do sometimes during the latter end of August, at others not before the beginning of 

 September. A few birds are, no doubt, occasionally seen after this period ; but they are either late 

 broods or birds that are returning from more northern latitudes. This autumn I visited several 

 breeding-stations on the 25th of August, and again on the 2nd of September; but in neither 

 instance could I observe a single individual. Anxious as I have been for several years past to 

 secure the eggs of the Dottrel for the purpose of adding undoubted specimens of so rare an egg to 

 my cabinet, as well as to prove beyond ail doubts that this bird breeds in Cumberland, yet it was 

 not until the present year that I had the gratification of accomplishing an object which I have had 

 so long in view. After repeated excursions through the lake district this summer for the express 

 purpose, I was so fortunate as to obtain their eggs in two different localities — namely, three on 

 Whiteside, contiguous to Helvellyn, on the 29th of June, and two on the 5th July on Robinson, 

 in the vicinity of Buttermere. The former had been incubated twelve or fourteen days, the 

 latter were only recently laid ; and in both instances the birds were seen to leave their eggs ; one, 

 on quitting them, immediately spread out its wings and tail, which it trailed on the ground a 

 short distance, and then went away without uttering a single note. On this day [5th July, 

 1835] a young bird, a few days old, was also captured. Having spent a considerable portion of 



