55^ LAPWING. 



Faeroes, as well as in Northern Europe up to the Arctic circle, and 

 it is tolerably plentiful in the south of Norway and Sweden in summer. 

 The majority of the eggs sent to this country are from the Nether- 

 lands and North Germany, where they are systematically gathered 

 up to a date which is fixed by law. In suitable localities the Lap- 

 wing nests down to the extreme south of Spain, as well as, sparingly, 

 in North Africa and Egypt ; while its migrations extend westward 

 to the Canaries and Azores. A wanderer was obtained in Barbadoes 

 on December 24th 1886 (Feilden), and another has occurred in 

 Alaska. Across Asia the species is found breeding from lat. 65° N. 

 to the plains of INIongolia, and on the Tian-shan range up to an 

 elevation of about 11,000 ft. ; while in winter it is also met with 

 in the Indian region down to about lat. 25° N. 



The eggs, normally 4 in number, vary in ground-colour from 

 olive-green to stone-buff, grey, or even pale blue, the blotches being 

 blackish-brown : measurements i -6 by i -3 in. They are seldom to 

 be met with before the latter part of March, and April is the usual 

 month for laying, but they may be found fresh through May and 

 into June. Almost any depression in turf, fallow-land, dried mud 

 or shingle, suffices for their reception ; a few bents placed crosswise 

 being added, usually during incubation. A\'hen approached, the 

 female sometimes runs silently from her eggs before taking to the 

 wing, and it is the male which indulges in frantic swoops and twirls, 

 accompanied by noisy cries ; though when the young are hatched 

 both parents practise every artifice to allure man or dog from their 

 brood. The ' false nests ' often found are scraped out by the cock 

 in turning round, when showing off to the female. On the approach 

 of winter large flocks are formed, which break up in the following 

 spring ; the birds flying in lines with great regularity. The food 

 consists of worms, slugs and insects. 



The adult male in breeding-plumage has the crown and the long 

 erectile crest greenish-black ; sides of the neck whitish ; upper parts 

 metallic-green, glossed with purple and bronze ; quills chiefly black, 

 the tips of the three outer pairs greyish ; tail-feathers white, with a 

 broad subterminal band of black, except on the outer pair ; face, 

 throat and upper breast bluish-black ; belly and axillaries white • 

 upper and under tail-coverts fawn-colour. Length 12-5 in.; wing 

 875 in. The mature female has a slightly shorter crest, and 

 younger hens show some white on the chin. In winter the throat 

 is white in both sexes. The young bird has a shorter crest and the 

 dorsal feathers are edged with greyish-buff. 



