THE LAPWING, ETC. 153 



The lapwing (Vanellus cristatus) is occasionally seen 

 in the neighbourhood of Christiania. Great numbers 

 breed in the vicinity of Laurvig, Mandal, Christiansand, 

 Lister, and Stavanger. It arrives in Norway as early 

 as the middle of February. Albino varieties are occa- 

 sionally seen here of a white or dirty-white colour. Its 

 Norwegian name is viben. I have' not heard that 

 plovers' eggs are considered a delicacy here. 



Curious superstitions exist in most countries con- 

 cerning birds, and in none more so than in Norway. 

 According to popular belief here, the swallow and 

 turtle-dove sympathized with our Saviour in His suf- 

 ferings ; not so the lapwing, which is said to have 

 mocked at the agonies of our Lord, and was, in con- 

 sequence, condemned to dwell in fens and morasses. 

 Mr. Lloyd mentions a strange legend concerning this 

 bird in Sweden. The lapwing was once a handmaiden 

 of the Virgin Mary, who stole the scissors of her mis- 

 tress, and, as a punishment, she was transformed into a 

 bird, bearing a tail forked like a pair of scissors, and 

 incessantly uttering the plaintive cry, " tyvit, tyvit" 

 or, " I stole them, I stole them." 



The turnstone (Strepsilas interpres) is very rarely 

 seen near Christiania ; it is common in the north and 

 round the North Cape, as well as on the low rocks near 

 Throndjem. It migrates in September. Nilsson says 

 that the name of interpres, given to the species by Lin- 

 naeus, originated in a mistake. It is the redshank 

 (Totanus calidris) which is called tolk, or interpreter, 

 by the Swedish fishermen, on account of its giving a 

 warning cry to other birds of the approach of the 

 fowler. It breeds on the small islands off the south- 

 west coast of Norway, and also in the north. It makes 



