WATSON : ORNITHOLOGY OF SKIDDAW, ETC. 165 



farms lying contiguous to Sea Fell alone lost 1,500 sheep out of a total 

 of 6,000. The Peregrines {Falco peregrifius) and Ravens (Corvus 

 corax) which find an asylum in the recesses of the mountains are the 

 only creatures which benefit by the great loss. In winter a few Snow 

 Buntings {Pledrophaties nivalis) appear on the mountains, but never 

 long to remain ; they soon pass on to the lower feeding-grounds. 

 Bean and other Geese occasionally stay for a time on some of the 

 tarns already mentioned, but this is only en route. 



Either upon the Lake mountains or elsewhere the Dotterel 

 {Eudromias morinelhis) was probably never common, nor even fairly 

 plentiful. The small flocks which come in May are called ' trips,' 

 and immediately upon reaching the coast they strike inland, follow 

 the backbone of the country, and are brought up by the mountains 

 of Westmorland and Cumberland. Here, upon the spurs of the 

 highest mountains, and among the mists, they nest. Hewitson 

 spent many annual vacations searching for a breeding site, but never 

 found one. Five or six pairs frequently breed at no great distance 

 from each other, but make not the slightest attempt at building a 

 nest. They are exceedingly tame, and if frightened from the nest 

 run only to a short distance. The Dotterel rarely lays more than 

 three eggs. Its call is a low plaintive whistle, which cannot be heard 

 at any great distance, and this it often utters when alarmed. The 

 sitting bird will return to its nest even whilst an eye-witness is near ; 

 or, if the nest be undiscovered, the bird may be seen quietly watching 

 the intruder. In the past this has been a most persecuted species 

 owing to the great value of its feathers for fishing. Both miners and 

 shepherds sought out its breeding haunts, and, on account of its 

 tameness, often destroyed great quantities. Some of the latter even 

 trained dogs to find the nests, and in this they were most successful. 

 From this and various causes the bird has become exceedingly scarce, 

 until now it is one of our rarest British plovers. Last season it bred 

 sparsely on Helvellyn, Grassmoor, and Sea Fell. Here the old and 

 young birds stay through sumnier, but in autumn commence their 

 autumnal migration. It may be mentioned that out of eleven nests 

 found by an old friend, two were in the last week in May, the 

 remaining nine in June ; the May nests contained one and three eggs 

 respectively. 



The Golden Plover {Charadrins pluvialis) is a beautiful moun- 

 tain-bird, spending its summer among the hills, and retreating to the 

 mosses and marshes at the approach of winter. Here it lives 

 gregariously, mixing with various sand- and shore-haunting birds. 

 One of the most remarkable traits in the bird's economy is that of 

 changing its plumage in the breeding season. The breast — a dull 



June 1888. 



