LAPWING 583 



Register " for 1799, where it is stated that, on the 4th of 

 April in that year, hundreds of Plovers and Lapwings 

 were cast on shore on the Holderness coast in a dreadful 

 storm. 



When crossing against a west or south-west gale these 

 migrant Lapwings fly low, hugging the surface of the water 

 in a compact body, but as they approach the land they 

 gradually rise high in the air and assume an open and scattered 

 formation, in this manner passing over the " danger zone " 

 commanded by coast gunners and wildfowlers. On dark 

 and foggy nights numbers of these birds fall victims to the 

 attractions of the coast beacons.* 



As a nesting species the Lapwing is generally and widely 

 diffused, being found in all suitable localities from the marshes 

 and coast lands up to the highest elevation on the fells and 

 moorlands of Cleveland and the north-west of the county. 

 It was very abundant in the Doncaster Carrs until the middle 

 of the past century, but has been driven away from its haunts 

 in that district by drainage and high cultivation, while it is 

 to be feared that the practice of collecting the eggs for sale 

 is rapidly reducing the numbers of our native stock. 



The resident birds usually repair to their nesting haunts 

 towards the close of February or March, and at the end of 

 the latter month, in mild seasons, eggs are sometimes met with; 

 but, as a general rule, they are not found before April ; in 

 the first week of that month I have seen full clutches at the 

 Teesmouth, though they are a week or two later on the high 

 fells, where, in late seasons, they are occasionally covered with 

 snow ; in a severe storm in May 1891, near Harrogate, the 

 Lapwings flew high above the snow-clouds ; when the fall 

 ceased they returned to their breeding quarters, but were 

 unable, on the snow-covered ground, to find their nests 

 {Nat. 1891, pp. 165, 214). 



Variations of plumage are not unknown ; one at Oswald- 

 kirk had the wings and upper part of the back light brown 



* It may be mentioned here that an interesting and concise history 

 of the migration of this species is published by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke 

 in the Report of the British Association for 1902. 



VOL. II. P 



