140 VANELLUS CRISTATUS. 



eye, and numerous spots of the same between it and the 

 throat. In other respects there is no great difference, only 

 most of the feathers of the upper parts are terminally mar- 

 gined with pale red. 



Progress toward Maturity. — The colours are per- 

 fected after the first moult. 



Remarks. — The above account being entirely the result 

 of my own observation of a bird whose habits are easily 

 studied, and of which specimens can readily be procured, I 

 have here to add such particulars as, having escaped my 

 notice, or being beyond my reach, it may yet be interesting 

 to know. The only additional circumstance which I find in 

 Montagu's article on the subject is, that " it runs fast, and 

 has a singular motion of the head, frequently putting its bill 

 to the ground without picking anything up." Mr. Selby 

 repeats this observation : — " it runs swiftly, during which it 

 has a singular habit of stopping suddenly at intervals, and 

 putting its bill to the ground, but without picking up any- 

 thing;" and adds, "apparently to bring its body, as it were, 

 to a proper equipoise." I have often observed it, both when 

 it stopped after running a little, and on other occasions, to 

 stoop a little forward, and depress its head, presently to 

 raise it again, and sometimes stretch it up a little. The 

 latter author also alludes to its being frequently kept in 

 gardens on account of its devouring slugs, insects, and larvae ; 

 and states that " when thus domesticated, it requires to be fed 

 and protected during the severity of winter, as it is, in such 

 situations, unable to obtain a sufficient supply of its native 

 food." In Ireland, however, where the climate is milder, 

 Mr. Thompson says, " I have known lapwings to be kept some 

 years in gardens (even four or five birds in one garden), 

 during which time they lived wholly on what they could 

 pick up, no food being supplied to them." 



According to M. Temminck, it is " nowhere so abundant 

 as in Holland," and other authors give it an extended dis- 

 tribution over Europe and Asia. 



