LAPWING. 107 



a rook, a hawk, or any bird, however large, approaching 

 in the direction of the nest than he immediately makes 

 up to it, and by a series of buifetings compels it to alter 

 its course." 



As to their present distribution, they may still be 

 described as scattered pretty numerously throughout 

 the breeding season over the entire " Fen " district, 

 and are seen there in winter in considerable flocks, 

 migrating constantly from one part to another, with 

 every change of weather. On the great fields, also, 

 in the neighbourhood of Swaffham, more particu- 

 larly about Castleacre, Walton, and Westacre, they 

 are plentiful as compared with other localities, but have 

 decreased considerably during the past few years, and 

 on the '^ Meals " and marshes bordering on the coast 

 where they were once so abundant, a few pairs only are 

 seen, here and there, where some little protection is 

 afforded. In the summer of 1863, in the long range 

 of fresh water marshes between Holme and Hunstanton, 

 I observed but two pairs during the whole of my visit, 

 and both their nests had been by some means destroyed. 

 Like the ringed plover the lapwings migrate to the 

 inland warrens in spring, and breed on Thetford and 

 Beachamwell, though from the testimony both of Mr. 

 Bartlett and Mr. Dugmore, they are now seen only in 

 scores instead of hundreds as formerly. In about the 

 same proportion also, at West Harling, they still nest 

 on the "Breck" lands in that neighbourhood with the 

 stone-curlew, as do also a few pairs on the high grounds 

 at Thorpe and Mousehold, as well as in the low meadows 

 at Bowthorpe, Cossey, and Colney, near Norwich; and 

 on Flordon common, in the spring of 1868, some six 

 or seven pairs remained to breed. In the " Broad " 

 district the falling off in their numbers is very marked. 

 Drainage and egging combined have here almost exter- 

 minated them in places, and throughout the great extent 

 p 2 



