136 VANELLUS CRISTATUS. 



Changes of Plumage. — The moult commences in June, 

 and is completed by the beginning of November. 



Male in Summer. — In the breeding season, the upper 

 and fore parts of the head, the chin, throat, and part of the 

 breast are black, glossed with blue and green ; the nape 

 greyish-brown ; the colours of the other parts as in winter. 

 As the summer advances, the green of the back changes to 

 purplish. An individual shot at Ythan Mouth, on the 27th 

 of May, presented no new feathers, except those on the 

 throat and fore-neck. The oesophagus 6 inches long ; the 

 gizzard 1* 2 by j°; the intestine 29 inches long, from i\ to 

 f a in width ; the coeca 3 inches from the extremity, cylin- 

 drical, 2 j inches long. 



Length 12^ inches ; extent of wings 30^ ; bill 1 ; wing 

 from flexure 9-jr ; tail 4 ; bare part of tibia r> ; tarsus 2 ; 

 middle toe / 2 , its claw j^. 



Female in Summer. — The female differs only in having 

 the breast white, and the crest shorter. 



Habits. — The Lapwing is generally distributed, but more 

 numerous in the southern than in the northern parts of the 

 country ; it being of very rare occurrence in the extreme 

 north of Scotland and in the Hebrides. On downs, com- 

 mons, and in uncultivated marshy tracts, it is met with more 

 frequently than in districts entirely subjected to the plough ; 

 but often on cultivated land, when the fields are large, it is 

 to be seen in great numbers. After it has reared its young, 

 it forms flocks, often of great size, and remains on the moors, 

 the inland fields, or in their vicinity, until the middle or 

 end of autumn, when it betakes itself to the lower grounds, 

 and occupies the wet plains and large ploughed fields. Its 

 food consists of worms, insects, and occasionally seeds and 

 other vegetable substances. Its gizzard, which is nearly as 

 muscular as that of a gallinaceous bird, is found to contain 

 numerous bits of hard stone, generally quartz, from two- 

 twelfths of an inch in diameter downwards. In searching 

 for food, it walks sedately along, keeping its body horizontal, 



