. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . han the last-named bird, and is found in Europe and Asia. The Golden VloYtr {Charadriuspluvialis^ Fig. 141) is nearly aslarge as a Woodcock; the ground of its plumage is of a yellow colour,speckled over with brown spots. In winter it is always numerously THE DOTTEREL. 351 represented in our markets: this is occasioned by the ease with whichit can be either shot or netted. The Dotterel is a Uttle larger than a Blackbird. It visits us inMarch and September, and n
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . han the last-named bird, and is found in Europe and Asia. The Golden VloYtr {Charadriuspluvialis^ Fig. 141) is nearly aslarge as a Woodcock; the ground of its plumage is of a yellow colour,speckled over with brown spots. In winter it is always numerously THE DOTTEREL. 351 represented in our markets: this is occasioned by the ease with whichit can be either shot or netted. The Dotterel is a Uttle larger than a Blackbird. It visits us inMarch and September, and numerous flocks of these birds frequentthe vast plains of France. This is the bird which seems to persistin sacrificing itself to the sportsmans gun when its companion hasfallen a victim before the murderous weapon. It also shows thesimplicity of beUeving that drunken people must be animated withthe kindest feelings towards it; so much so, that it is only requisiteto exhibit the outward signs of bacchanalian excitement, and thebirds will be filled with a sense of false security, so that you mayapproach within a few yards of Fig. 142.—Common Dotterel. The Dotterel has produced the reputation for ih^pate de Chartres :the birds personal experience should long ago have convinced it howheavy the burden of renown sometimes proves. They have, in fact,been so much sought after, that they have been almost annihilated. The Ringed Dotterel {Charadrius hiaticuld) is about half the sizeof a Blackbird. It is disdnguished by its black collar, and also by itsextraordinarily brilliant and gold-coloured eyes. In former days thisbird had the credit of being able to cure the jaundice. All that wasnecessary was for the sick person to look fixedly at the birds eyes,with a firm faith in the success of the experiment; under these con-ditions the bird was obliging enough to relieve him of his superstitious idea has departed to join all the rest of the medicalopinions of the Middle A
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
