LAPWING. 217 



Genus— VANELLUS. 

 VANELLUS VULGARIS— Lapwing. 



The building Eook 'ill caw from the windy tall elm-tree, 

 And the tufted Plover pipe along the fallow lea. 



Tennyson— T^e May Queen. 



The Lapwing, Peewit, or Crested Plover, is so common a bird, 

 that its well-known cries have a pleasant association with spring. 

 In all the low^-lying or marshy districts of the county this beautiful 

 and interesting bird is to be found ; and in the autumn and winter 

 months, flocks of many hundreds join together. In the broad 

 valley of the Wye, which takes Eardisley for its centre, they are 

 more numerous than elsewhere, and here in April and May the 

 women and children seek their eggs for sale. 



From the grey moor on feeble wing, 

 The screaming Plovers idly spring. 



Warton. 



Lapwings are restless and watchful birds. They have sentinels 

 when together in flocks, and are very difficult of approach ; and 

 they are still more shy when they take their fresh plumage and 

 separate for nestmg purposes. 



In the Spring the wanton Lapwing gets himself another crest. 



Tennyson— i/oc^•s?e^/ Hall. 



The Lapwing nests in the most unprotected places, but seems 

 endowed with a proportionate caution. So watchful is the bird 

 that she can never be seen on her nest, or even be seen to leave it ; 

 and hence it has been supposed by some observers, that she does 

 not incubate. 



Hence, around the head 

 Of wandering swain, the white-wing'd Plover wheels 

 Her sounding flight, and then directly on 

 In long excursion skims the level lawn, 

 To tempt him from her nest. 



Thomson— *52?rwfir. 



The great anxiety shown to protect their eggs and young, 

 often defeats its object with those who know their habits, and 

 serves to point out the locality of the nests. Sometimes, they will 

 fly and scream over the head of a visitor, and at other times they 

 wall pretend to be unable to fly, and flutter along the ground. 



