252 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
irides dark brown. Length 120 13 inches ; culmen 1°1 ; wing 
DG iias"5); tarsus 22. 
The female is slightly duller than the male. 
Youny: Generally duller than the adults. The black on 
crown and through the eye much browner ; black and chestnut 
on abdomen wanting. May be most easily distinguished by its 
black sbortest primaries, with white inner margins. 
Distribution: Breeds on the steppes of South-eastern 
Russia, and Western-central Asia, wintering in India and 
North-eastern Africa. 
Habitat: Very similar to that of the Lapwing. 
LAPWING, GREEN PLOVER OR PEE wie 
Vanellus vulgaris Bechst. 
Nik. Me: a ces. Leer eu lt webwcaaielatel | kaka ae ok 
Adult Male (Summer): Crown, crest, throat, chest and 
primaries black, the latter with a slight purplish tinge, and the 
outermost ones tipped with dirty whitish ; feathers above and 
behind the eye, sides of throat, breast and abdomen white ; 
back, scapulars and wing-coverts metallic-green or purple ; upper 
tail-coverts pale chestnut ; basal half of tail-feathers white ; upper 
ones chiefly white ; the rest having the anterior half black, with 
pale tips ; under tail-coverts rufescent-buff; bill black, legs and 
feet reddish-brown ; irides dark brown. Length 13 inches ; cul- 
INERT Wing 6-6 t0-0'°25 3 tail 4°75: tarstisia oe: 
Adult Female : Somewhat paler than the male, the black 
crown duller, and on throat not so extensive and mixed with 
white ; the wing-coverts greener, crest shorter. 
Young in first plumage: Lack the black on throat, 
have very short crests, and some of back- and scapular-feathers. 
tipped with buff; sides of head washed with buff; outermost 
rectrices entirely white. 
Distribution: Summer visitant to the northern and cen- 
tral portions of the Palearctic region; resident in the British 
Isles and some other North European countries. Found in 
winter as far south as Northern Africa and Northern India. 
Habitat: Elevated moorland, damp pastures, or swampy 
plains. 
