LAPWING 145 



from time to time, though sometimes a male will desert the group of 

 " scrapes " which marks his territorial center and adopt a new series. 

 These " scrapes " form an important part in the ritual of courtship. 

 On the appearance of a female the male utters a grating note while 

 standing upright and moving wings and tail up and down rhythmi- 

 cally. He then drops to the ground and, as Brock describes it, 

 " Ijang far forAvard on his breast, shuffles the body, and scrapes ener- 

 getically with the feet, which may be seen in rapid motion. At short 

 intervals the tail is spasmodically bent downwards, the action corre- 

 sponding with energetic footwork." He then rises jerking bits of 

 stubble over his shoulder, and in this way a little group of hollows 

 or " scrapes " is formed, one of which ultimately becomes the nest. 

 Apparently the female makes choice from several sites originally 

 selected by the male. 



From time to time the male makes the spring flight which has been 

 well described by Brock. 



Rising from the ground the male executes a few labored flaps, moving the 

 wings with exaggerated slowness, owllike; thence he quickens his pace and 

 rising suddenly at an abrupt angle, commences the song, the greater part of 

 which, however, is emitted as the bird falls again. During the utterance of the 

 song is a pause occurring after the penultimate note, the performer throws 

 himself sideways almost on his back, instantly recovering himself with a flurry 

 of wings. The bird now scuds rapidly over the ground at a moderate height, 

 making a pronounced humming sound with the motion of his sharply driven 

 pinions, and occasionally tilting himself from side to side, much in the manner 



of a snipe when flushed. 



* 



The song is well rendered by Brock as whey-vnlluchooee-willuch- 

 wUluch-cooee. The first syllable long and hoarse, the second and 

 third loilluch uttered rapidly and staccato, then a pause, during which 

 the partial somersault is executed, followed by the loud and musical 

 final note. The Norfolk marshmen's transliteration is also good, 

 " Three bullocks a week, week after week. 



Sometimes two rival males will rise together in the air almost per- 

 pendicularly each trying to rise above the other. 



At intervals the upper bird stoops suddenly to the lower, an attack usually 

 avoided by an agile turn of the wing, but occasionally a distant and hollow clap 

 is audible, indicating an exchange of blows apparently with the wing. On at 

 length parting company both combatants break into full song flight, repeating 

 it twice or thrice ere resettling in their respective stations. 



These encounters seem as a rule not to be of a very serious charac- 

 ter and the occasional fights between rivals carried on near the 

 ground, in which one bird swoops repeatedly from one side or the 

 other at its opponent, which in turn avoids the attack by little upward 

 springs or swerving aside, seem to be of a more serious character. 

 When a hen bird approaches, the male bird runs toward her and de- 

 scribes a half circle round her with stiff and constrained air. Then 



