340 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



length of the bird is rather more than three feet. Its nest is 

 a loose heap of straws on the ground, and contains two pale 

 brown eggs, spotted with brown, rather larger than those of the 

 turkey. 



Order VII. . GR^LLJE. (Lat. Stilted Birds.) 

 Family I. . . Cliaradrida\ 

 Sub family c. Charadrincc. 



V. \NELLUS. 



Cristatus (Lat. crested), the Lapwing or Peewit. 



The PLOVERS are known by their long legs, short toes, and 

 long and powerful wings. Many are inhabitants of England, 

 of which the Lapwing and Golden Plover are the most 

 common. 



The LAPWING, or PEEWIT, is very common in most parts of 

 England, and is well known for its plaintive cry, and the 

 stratagems it employs to decoy intruders away from its nest, 

 or rather eggs, for nest it has none. Frequently, however, 

 the attempts of the bird only draw the attention of the passer- 

 by to the necessary vicinity of the eggs. These eggs are dark 

 brown, blotched with black, and are hardly to be distinguished 

 from the soil where they are laid. If an intruder approach 

 them, the bird glides before him, and flutters along, drooping 

 her wings, as if wounded, invariably endeavouring to lead 

 him away from her nest. When it has succeeded in 

 decoying away the intruder, it suddenly mounts in the air, 

 uttering its cry of pee-weet, leaving its pursuer to gaze with 



