DOTTEREL.
HIITTW, (IF THE ANCIENT BRITISH.
DOTTRELL. DOTTEREL PLOVER.
Oharadrius moritullus, PENNANT. MONTAGU.
Ckaradrius Tariaricus, LATHAM.
Ckaradrius Sibirieus, GMELIN.
Ckaradrius ? Morinellus—A diminutive of Mono—A fool or dotard.
THIS species belongs to Europe, being found in Turkey, Russia,
Lapland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark; likewise in France,
Italy, Spain, Greece, and its islands; Bohemia and Silesia; and in
Holland, where it is rare. It also appertains to Northern Asia, Siberia,
Persia, and Tartary, on the vast Steppes of which country it is found
in the vicinity of the salt lakes and marshes of the desolate regions
that there exist.
The Dotterel has acquired the character of being a foolish bird, and
hence its English name, from the word to dote, to be fond or foolish,
and its Latin one from the word Morio, a foolish fellow. The only
folly, however, that, so far as I can see, the bird is guilty of, is that
of permitting the near approach of man, and this, on the ungracious
principle of believing every one to be a rogue until you know him to
be honest, is certainly the opposite of wordly wisdom. For myself,
nevertheless, much as I have suffered more than once from acting on
the contrary supposition, I still prefer a more unsophisticated maxim.
This bird was formerly supposed to imitate the actions of the fowler,
and so to fall into the trap, instead of providing for its escape by a
timely flight. Thus, Drayton, in his Folyolbion—
'The Dotterel, which we think a very dainty dish,
Whose taking makes such sport as no man more can wish,
For as you creep, or cower, or lie, or stoop, or go,
So, marking you with caro, the apish bird doth do;
And acting every thing, doth never mark the net.'