BIRDS. 313 
THE DOTTREL (Charadrius Morinellus,) 
Is proverbially accounted a foolish bird, yet it is hardly 
possible to decide why it is so. Its length is about ten 
inches ; the bill is not quite an inch long, and is black. 
The forehead is mottled with brown and grey ; the top 
of the head is black ; and over each eye there is an arched 
line of white. The back and wings are a light brown ; 
the breast is a pale dull orange ; the middle of the body 
is black, and the rest and the thighs are of a red- 
dish white. The tail is brown, black towards the end, 
and tipped with white. This bird seems to be migratory, 
and makes its appearance in Lincolnshire, Cambridge- 
shire, and Derbyshire in April, but soon leaves those 
counties and retires in June to places which are totally 
unknown. In April, and sometimes in September, 
Dottrels are seen in Wiltshire and Berkshire. They are 
generally caught, like other birds, by night; when, 
dazzled by the light of a torch, they are at a loss to know 
where to fly for safety, the whole place being in darkness, 
except the very spot which they should avoid. Many 
and most ridiculous stories have been propagated about 
the gestures of this bird, and its endeavouring to imitate 
the actions of the fowler, and thereby falling into the 
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