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 buffetings 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 
e 2 
