144 BULLETIN 146;, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Family CHARADRIIDAE, Plovers 



VANELLUS VANELLUS (Linnaeus) 

 LAPWING 



Contributed by Francis Charles Robert Jourdain 



HABITS 



The status of this bird ,in North America is a remarkable one. 

 Up to 1927, with the exception of Greenland, where according to 

 Lehn Schioler, it is an occasional visitor, it had only been recorded on 

 about seven occasions from the American Continent. Excluding 

 Alaska, all the other records are from the eastern seaboard, the 

 Bahamas and Barbados. In December, 1927, large flocks, number- 

 ing thousands, according to one reporter, were recorded from a 

 number of places along the east coast of Newfoundland, in the middle 

 of the country and also on the west coast. Among the birds obtained 

 was one sent from Bonavista, Newfoundland, by Canon A. G. Bag- 

 ley on December 31, which still bore the ring with which it had 

 been marked as a nestling in May, 1926, at Ujilswater, Cumberland, 

 England, by Dr. H. J. Moon. 



/Spring. — In the British Isles the migratory movements are rather 

 complicated and irregular, but many birds which have wintered in 

 the south and near the great estuaries and marshes begin to work 

 their way back to their breeding places inland, and to the north of 

 Scotland which is practically deserted by them during the winter 

 months. 



Courtship. — The lapwing is a highly gregarious species and even 

 in the height of the breeding season, when territorial jealousy on the 

 part of the males is apparent, several pairs are generally to be found 

 nesting within a short distance of one another. The courtship 

 habits have been closely studied by the late S. E. Brock in Scotland, 

 and more recently by William Farren, R. H. Brown, and J. K. 

 Stanford, so that there is plenty of material at hand. 



Even in the autumn and early winter months when the weather 

 is open, especially after frosts, a certain amount of sexual activity 

 is evident. Some of the males show indications of territorial 

 defense and fighting takes place intermittently. It is not till the 

 winter is over and the males have returned to their breeding grounds, 

 which is generally from late February to early March, that the 

 nesting territory is definitely parceled out among the males. The 

 areas may vary considerably in shape and size and are not always 

 clearly defined, but each bird shows distinct signs of jealousy at any 

 invasion on the part of a neighbor and aerial combats take place 



