BIRDS 351 



moreover, by one of the old birds being shot at the nest. In 



1830 the younger Hey sham remarked in the third volume of the 

 Magazine of Natural History : ' The eggs of the dotterel, we 

 believe, still remain undescribed, which is somewhat extra- 

 ordinary, considering that they constantly breed in the moun- 

 tainous districts of Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland, and 

 some parts of Scotland. Dr. Latham, it is true, in the ]ast 

 edition of his General History of Birds, has given some account 

 of the nest of this species, the time and period of their incuba- 

 tion, and the numbers of their eggs, but does not describe 

 them.' He accordingly set himself to elucidate the subject, by 

 applying to such persons as were likely to find nests of the 

 Dotterel. William Dodd writes to him from Alston on May 9, 



1831 : ' You will receive at the same time a Dotterel and one 

 of the finest birds that has been shot in this neighbourhood 

 for some years.' John Brown writes on July 15, 1831, from 

 Marble Mills, Stone House, Dent : ' Sir, — I am sorry to say, in 

 reply to your favour of the 12th inst., that your application 

 for eggs of the Dotterel is at least one month too late. The 

 birds have nearly all left the hills. But have you not made a 

 mistake ? I think it possible that in the hurry of writing you 

 have said eggs instead of skins. Great numbers of these are pre- 

 served and sold to anglers, but I am told that the eggs are 

 seldom taken. If you wish to have a few skins pray inform me 

 and I will send you some. Late in the season as it is for these 

 birds to be on the hills, and it is unusual for them to remain 

 so long, I believe I can yet procure two or three fresh ones.' In a 

 letter of May 10, 1832, Hewitson names to Heysham the species 

 which he hopes to meet with in Norway, including the Dotterel. 

 ' When speaking of Dotterel,' he continues, ' do you know any 

 instance of its breeding in Cumberland 1 I saw one on Helvellyn 

 at the end of May, and am told that they do breed in Westmore- 

 land, not far from Kirkby-Stephen.' Hewitson no doubt alluded 

 here to a visit paid to the Lakes in May 1830. Writing under 

 the signature ' H,' he appears to have communicated to the 

 fifth volume of the Magazine of Natural History a short account 

 of his trip, in which he says, ■ I was very anxious to meet with 

 the nest and eggs of the Dotterel [Charadrius Morinellus], which 



