THE GREY PLOVER. 393 



of grass. It lays four eggs, on which it sits so closely 

 that it will remain until almost trodden on. When thus 

 disturbed, its habits resemble those of the Pdnged Plover, 

 described above. 



THE LAPWIXG, OR PEEWIT. 



VANELLUS CRISTATUS. 



Feathers on the back of the head elongated and curved upwards ; head, crest, 

 and breast, glossj^ black ; throat, sides of the neck, belly and abdomen, white ; 

 under tail-coverts yellowish red ; upper plumage dark green, with purple 

 reflections ; tail, when expanded, displaying a large semicircular gi-aduated 

 black patch on a white disk, outer feather on each side wholly white ; bill 

 dusky ; feet reddish brown. Young — Throat dull white, mottled with dusky 

 and tinged with red ; upper feathers tipped with dull yellow. Length twelve 

 and a half inches. Eggs olive-brown, blotched and spotted with dusky black. 



The Peewit, or Green Plover, as it is sometimes called, is 

 among the best known birds indigenous to the British 

 Isles. This notoriety it owes to several causes. The 

 lengthened feathers on the back of its head, forming a 

 crest, at once distinguish it from every other British Wader. 

 Its peculiar flight, consisting of a series of wide slow 

 flappings with its singularly rounded wings, fiu'nishes a 

 character by which it may be recognised at a great distance ; 

 and its strange note, resembling the word " peweet" uttered 

 in a high screaming tone, cannot be mistaken for the note 

 of any other bird. In London and other large towns of 

 England its eggs also are well known to most people ; for 

 '' Plovers' eggs," as they are called, are considered great 

 delicacies. 



Peewits are found in abundance in most parts of Europe 

 and Asia from Ireland to Japan. They are essentially 

 Plovers in all their habits, except, perhaps, that they do 

 not run so rapidly as some others of the tribe. They 

 inhabit the high grounds in open countries, the borders of 

 lakes and marshes and low unenclosed wastes, and may 

 not unfrequently be seen in the large meadows, which in 

 some districts extend from the banks of rivers. They are 



