32 
KINGED DOTTEREL. 
They fly with strength and rapidity, hut generally not 
far unless much alarmed, coming back to the place they had 
left, as the most productive probably of a supply of food. 
The flight is performed with moderate flappings of the wings; 
they also run fast, frequently stopping and glancing round. 
They move about in a horizontal position, with the head 
lowered, and the neck shortened, but when running, stretch 
themselves out more. Before flying, and again before settling, 
the wings are spread up over the back. 
They feed on worms, marine and other aquatic insects and 
their larvse, and small Crustacea, shrimps, sandhoppers, and 
other such, and they continue searching for them on moonlight 
nights until the morning. 
The note is a clear wild whistle, and they utter it when 
disturbed, taking short flights and then alighting and running 
again. If much alarmed they fly right off', coursing along 
over the sea. 
They begin to pair early in May, but some earlier and 
others later in the summer. 
The nest, so to call it, for there is none but some slight 
natural hollow amongst small gravel, or on a little hillock 
of sand, frequently under the shelter of some tall grass, is 
generally placed on a bank by the beach, just above high- 
water mark, but occasionally in sandy places farther inland, 
as much, Sir William Jardine says, as ten, or from that to 
fifteen or twenty miles: in some instances on the banks that 
line the coast, or even over them in an adjoining field. 
Among others,, on warrens in Norfolk and Suffolk, near 
Bechamwell, Elston, and Thetford, occasionally also in the 
Eens: great numbers appeared in those of Bottisham and 
Swaffham, in Cambridgeshire, the Bev. Leonard Jenyns has’ 
recorded, in the months of June and July, 1824, which was 
a remarkably wet season. 
The eggs are four in number, and of a greenish grey, pale 
buff, or cream-colour, spotted and streaked with bluish grey 
and black, or blackish brown. The male and female both 
sit on them, and appear much attached to each other, as well 
as very careful of their eggs and young. In the spring the 
males often fight. 
Male; weight, about two ounces; length, seven inches and 
a half to seven and three quarters; bill, black at the tip, 
orange yellow towards the base; iris, brown; below it is a 
wide black band, reaching in front to and over the bill. 
