‘THE PLOVERS. 349 
The Plovers (Charadrius) have a bill closely resembling that of 
the Lapwing, but differ from the latter by having a back toe, which is 
absent altogether in the Plovers; they are, however, closely con- 
nected. Like the Lapwing, they frequent low- laying "marshy lands 
in numerous flocks, feeding on worms and insects. They are also 
remarkable for the attention they pay to keeping their plumage un- 
soiled. Between this family and the last described exists such good 
- 
Fig. 140.—Lapwing. 
feeling that they often are found feeding and even migrating together. 
But they do not follow out their resemblance to the Lapwings so far 
as to imitate them in behaving as good fathers of families, for they 
understand life in quite another fashion ; fidelity in love is not a 
virtue they believe in, thus they practise polygamy. 
One might well fancy that a bird of such low moraiity would not 
be easily affected by the misfortunes of its fellows, and that it would 
‘be endowed with no feelings but those of utter selfishness. But 
nothing of the sort. If you wound a Plover in company with others, 
the whole flock will come back to render the disabled one all the 
