DOTTEREL. 117 



old fable that it imitated the actions of any person approaching it; thus it used to be 

 said that when the fowler raised an arm it raised a wing; if he elevated a leg, it did 

 the same, and was so intent on watching his actions as to allow him to advance till he 

 was able to secure it in his net. 



In former times the Dotterel used to be captured in nets; Daniel, quoting from 

 Willoughby, says "six or seven persons go in company : when they have found the birds, 

 they set their net in an advantageous place, and each of them holding a stone in either 

 hand, get behind the birds, and striking the stones often one against another, rouse them 

 from their natural sluggishness, and by degrees drive them into the net." This practice 

 is however now entirely abandoned, at least in this country; the deadly fowling-piece 

 affording a much readier and more effective method of destruction. 



As may be inferred from the above, Dotterels are monogamous. 



The food consists of insects, chiefly small beetles, caterpillars, worms, small snails, and 

 grasshoppers. 



No nest is made, but the eggs are deposited "in a small cavity on dry ground covered 

 with vegetation, and generally near a moderate-sized stone or fragment of rock." The 

 eggs, usually three in number, are yellowish olive colour, blotched and spotted with dark 

 brownish black. 



Incubation is believed to continue for eighteen or twenty days; and the males assist 

 the females in their arduous, yet pleasing labour. 



The Dotterel is readily tamed, but it is said not to live long in confinement. 



The adult male, in summer plumage, has the bill black; irides, brown. Top of the 

 head and nape, rich brown. Over the eye, running backwards and downwards, is a band 

 of pure white. Chin and sides of upper neck, white ; ear coverts, back of neck, and back, 

 ash-coloured ; scapulars, wing coverts, and tertials, grayish brown, edged with pale orange 

 brown. Primaries, hair brown, or ash gray, the shaft of the first white ; front and sides 

 of lower neck, ash-colour ; below this is a white gorget, surrounded by a dark line ; below 

 this the breast, belly, and sides shade gradually into rich brownish orange, the centre of 

 the belly being black. Vent and under tail coverts, white tinged with rufous ; tail feathers 

 ashy brown, becoming darker towards the ends, the tips white; the three outside feathers 

 have large tips of white; legs and feet, olive; claws, black. 



The winter plumage would seem, from specimens obtained early in the spring, before 

 the breeding dress was assumed, to have the breast and belly nearly white, and the 

 colour on the head less deep. 



In length the Dotterel measures nine inches and a half. 



