THE LAPWINGS. 173 



Nest. — Generally placed in a natural hole or depression, 

 such as the footprint of a horse or cow, but sometimes a 

 tussock of grass may be selected. Of actual nest there is 

 scarcely any, but a slight lining of grass or heather is " some- 

 times made. 



Eggs. — Usually four, but on very rare occasions five have 

 been found. Mr. Seebohm gives one instance of a clutch of 

 five having been obtained by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson ; 

 while, as will be seen below, Mr. Robert Read records a similar 

 occurrence. The latter gentleman writes : ^'Although the eggs 

 of this bird are taken in such enormous numbers, I have never 

 but once known five eggs to be taken in one nest. This was 

 in Northumberland. I have found the Peewit breeding quite 

 close to London, at Ealing. Near Glasgow I obtained a set of 

 three eggs with the heavy markings at the small end, an unusual 

 variety of this bird's eggs. In autumn, quite close to Glasgow, I 

 have counted about 8,000 Peesweeps in one field." The ground- 

 colour of the Lapwing's egg varies extremely, from dusky-olive 

 or greenish-brown to dark clay-colour or clay-brown, with black 

 blotches and smaller spots distributed over the egg, the larger 

 blotches congregating near the larger end. The underlying 

 spots are of a dark purphsh-grey. Axis, i-75-i'9 inch; diam., 

 i'25-i'35- 



THE CRESTLESS LAPWINGS. GENUS CH/ETUSIA. 



Chcetusia, Bp. Iconogr. Faun. Ital. Ucc. Litrod. p. 17 (1841). 



Type, C. gregaria (Pall.). 



This genus, of which only one species is known, is in every 

 respect a true Lapwing, but differs from the genus Vanellus in 

 having no crest. 



I. THE SOCIABLE LAPWING. CH^TUSIA GREGARIA. 



Charadrius gregarius, Pall. Reis. Russ. Reichs, i. p. 456 



(1771). 

 Chcttusia gregaria, Dresser, B. Eur. vii. p. 527, pi. 528 (1875); 



Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 174 (1896). 

 Vanellus gregai'ius, Saunders, Man. Brit. B. p. 537 (1889). 



Adult Male. — General colour above pale ashy-brown, the centre 

 of the lower back rather darker ; sides of the lower back, lower 



