2 CHAEADEIID.^. 



field, and, owing to its nature and the colours of the eggs, is not readily perceived. 

 Should one approach it, the female runs off long before he comes up, and both 

 she and the male fly about, now high, now low, suddenly descending and rising, 

 in gentle curves or abrupt windings, and performing a variety of evolutions, 

 sometimes striking their wings so forcibly as to cause a loud noise, and usually 

 emitting their peevish wail. So great is their anxiety, that they will frequently 

 come very near, and may thus be easily shot on such occasions. Should other 

 pairs be in the neighbourhood, some of them will also fly up, and join in the 

 performance. Meanwhile, the female will perhaps steal away quietly to some 

 distance, and run limpingly along, with the most innocently pitiable appearance 

 imaginable, stopping now and then as if to attract yom- attention, and entice you 

 ofl" in pursuit. Or she may go farther away, and hanging out one or both of her 

 wings, run coweringly along. So excellent is the simulation, that one can hardly 

 refrain from pursuing, even although smiling at his folly. It is needless to state, 

 that no one has any chance of catching one of these lame Lapwings. When a 

 dog approaches their nest, they are still more active in attempting to intimidate 

 or bewilder him, and sometimes will even hit him with one of their wings. 



" During the whole of the breeding-season, even when not disturbed, but 

 acting under the impulse of their natural instinct, they may be seen flying about, 

 hovering, gliding, slanting, and curving along, shooting through the air with a 

 continuous noise of the Avings, or causing an undulated loud hum by flappiug 

 them strongly, and at the same time emitting various modifications of their usual 

 cry. This behaviour is, no doubt, analogous to the aerial rambles of the Snipe 

 at the same season. The Golden Plover also exhibits a similar tendency, but it 

 flies more sedately, not indulging in these fanciful freaks, although it utters a cry 

 difl"erent from its usual whistle. 



" The eggs are four, very large for the size of the bu-d, but much smaller 

 than those of the Golden Plover, and, like them, pyriform, their average length 

 an inch and ten-twelfths, their greatest breadth an inch and a quarter, or some- 

 what less. They are generally pale broAvnish-yellow, blotched, spotted, and 

 dotted with brownish-black; but their ground-colour varies to greenish-grey, 

 or olivaceous, and the markings are various, being small or large, thickly or 

 sparely distributed. The young are closely covered with soft down, variegated 

 with greyish-yellow, brown, and black, and leave the nest immediately after 

 exclusion, crouching among the moss or herbage when alarmed. So long as 

 they remain motionless, it is almost impossible to perceive them ; but the anxiety 

 of their parents often betrays their place of refuge, for they will fly up, screaming, 

 flapping, and wheeling about." 



