DOTTEREL. 
3 
man holding the upper station attracted ray attention, and proceeding a short distance upliill a Dotterel 
was seen flying round in ciiclcs, its actions at once leading us to suppose that eggs or young were close 
at hand. Eor a time we carefully examined every hole and inequality in the ground without success, 
and at length sat down to rest and watch ; whilst we were in motion the bird continued sweeping round, 
uttering occasionally a low whistle, but as soon as a halt was made it settled on an adjoining knoll 
within the distance of thirty yards. A few minutes later a downy nestling Avas seen to rise from a 
bare patch of ground, and make off uphill at a pace that, considering its size, was most remarkable. 
The colouring and markings on the down corresponded so closely Avith the general tints of the moss 
and herbage that this tiny creature had escaped observation, though the spot on which it squatted 
had been passed over repeatedly. A second shortly after attempted to escape uphill, in answer probably 
to the loAV call of the old bird, and the third an hour later Avas detected in the same manner. On 
the fcAv occasions on Avhich I had met with the nest of this species the eggs never exceeded three 
in number; and judging that the entire brood had noAV been taken, the old bird Avas next easily procured. 
It AA'as not till Avell on in the afternoon, between four and five o’clock, that its mate came in vicAv and 
proved far more AA’ary, flying round in Avide circles and resolutely refusing to approach Avithin the 
distance of sixty or seventy yards. At last it AA'as knocked down, but falling Avinged over a brae in a 
patch of broken ground Avbere blue hares had scratched numberless holes in the turf, it succeeded in 
evading capture, and no dog having been brought uphill in consequence of the distance and heat of the 
Aveather, Ave Avere forced at length to relinquish oi;r search. 
Having noted the direction from which this bird came in vieAA", I ascended the neighbouring hill. Cairn- 
gorm, a few days later, and soon fell in Avith three small trips, consisting each of three or four individuals. 
A specimen Avas at once procured, and for several hours the actions of the survivors Avere AAmtched. All 
the time we remained on the high ridge the birds gave no signs of separating, and paid but little regard 
to our presence. The specimen obtained on this occasion proved to be a female, Avhile the bird shot Avith 
the brood turned out, contrary to my expectation, a male. The brightness of the colouring on the 
feathers of all the birds composing the small parties on Cairngorm Avould lead one to believe that these 
Avere females, the care of the juveniles appearing to devolve on the males, Avho at this season exhibit 
more AAmrn and far less sbuAvy plumage. 
The adult male and female figured in the Plate Avith the brood are the pair Avhose capture is 
described above. As the plumage of both specimens Avas considerably Avorn, these birds, to bo seen in 
full beanty, should probably bo procured before the nesting-operations have been commenced. I also 
repeatedly remarked this fact in connection Avith Golden Plover. 
