‘2 
DOTTEREL. 
one of the afljacent summits. Daring windy weather in autumn I occasionally found the flocks some- 
what difficult to apjiroach within range; with a little driving, however, it was generally possible to 
procure a few couple. The young birds commonly retain the down about the head and back of the neck 
long after they are strong on wing. A few days before the 12th of August, 18G7, six or seven couple 
were bagged by two guns, while hare- and Plover-shooting * on the hills in the west of Perthshire ; and 
with one or two exceptions a quantity of down still showed round their heads. 
A short account extracted from my notes of 18GG concerning the capture of the specimens figured on 
the Plato may possibly he of service in giving some information about the nesting-habits of this species. 
Having failed on two occasions, owing to a strong wind and mist, to meet with the birds on the hills 
lying between Loch Rannoch and the river Lyon during the middle of June, a third attempt was made 
on the 2Gth, when the weather proved all that could be desired. In order to avoid the necessity of climhin- 
the steepest part of the hill during the midday heat, an early start from the lodge was effected, and the 
high ground reaehed before the rays of the sun caused the slightest inconvenience. While inakino- our 
way slowly up the winding peat-track an immature White-tailed Eagle came in view, circling over a 
portion of one of the neighbouring hills where peats had recently been cast ; at last he settled on a ridge, and 
turning his head from side to side calmly surveyed the scene. Unwilling to waste the time that” must 
necessarily have been spent in stalking the bird, we proceeded on our journey, though I had little doubt, 
owing to Die direction of the wind and the rugged nature of the ground, that this specimen might have 
been obtained. For an hour longer, while he still remained in view, not the slightest change from the 
position first taken was oliserved; doubtless some dead sheep or other prey had been detected near 
at hand, and would prove an attraction to the spot till all signs of danger had vanished. On leaving 
the track and striking out into the open moor, a flat was shortly reached where Golden Plover were 
breeding about the swampy ground on each side of a small burn that trickled slowly down the mountain- 
side. In many instances tlie birds would barely rise on our approach, running a few yards and turning 
again and again to face us with a low plaintive cry, their young being evidently concealed in the bright 
yellow moss that extended some distance over the flat. A few cock Grouse were seen in the patches” of 
heather round the outskirts of the mossy ground; but no further signs of bird-life were encountered till 
a wide expanse of broken ground on which I had met with two or three broods of Dotterel during the 
previous autumn was entered upon, and a pair of Meadow-Pipits were detected creeping quietly throuo-li the 
scanty herbage. A haze that had hung in early morning over the low ground near the river-side had now 
cleared off, and from our present position, at an elevation of considerably over 2500 feet, a mao-nificent 
stretch of scenery was in view. Kot a cloud or a vestige of mist obscured the mountain-’tops, and even 
the most^ distant hills stood out well defined in the clear morning air. To the north the whole outline 
of Pen Nevis could be discerned, as usual exhibiting a considerable amount of snow in the higher gullies • 
the rifts and chasms in the rugged mountains about Glen Coe looked dark and gloomy as ever ; while at 
our feet the whole surface of Loch Rannoch was spread out, resembling in the bright sunlight ’a sheet of 
molten silver. To the south the course of the Lyon could be traced for twelve or fourteen miles, winding 
through the glen, with the higher slopes of Ben Lawers rising up stern and majestic immediately beyond 
the lower ridges that look down upon the river; to the east and west Schiehallion and Ben More with 
many another craggy peak, broke up the sky-line and added to the wildness of the scene. Uavin- now 
reached a sufficient height to commence our search, the pony with the lunch-hampers was mad^ fast 
while with the keeper and two gillies we formed in line and made our way slowly over the m-ound in 
order to raise the birds. Scarcely one hundred yards had been passed over when a low whistle”from tlie 
* In order to keep on good terms with the farmers, it used to be the custom some years back on many of the shootings in this district to kill 
down a number of blue hares before the opening of the Grouse-season. 
