58 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



birds and their hovering over him, and in gratitude the 

 family bear three peewits for their arms. 

 Chaucer calls it 



" The false lapwing, full of trickerie." 

 And Shakespeare, in " Measure for Measure : "- 



" Though it is my familiar sin 

 With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest 

 Tongue far from heart." 



The peewit has an ancient history. Ovid tells us that 

 Tereus, king of Thrace, for his cruel behaviour to Philo- 

 mela, sister of his wife Procne, was made unwittingly to 

 devour his own offspring, and was then transformed into a 

 lapwing, to be for ever wailing and restless, searching for 

 his lost child. 



The following legend is taken from the Danish (" Notes 

 and Queries," vol. x. p. 49) : " While our Lord hung yet 

 upon the cross there came three birds flying over. The 

 first was the stork, who cried, ' Styrk ham ! styrk ham ! ' 

 (strengthen Him), and hence the bird's name and the 

 blessings which go with her. The second cried, ' Sval 

 ham ! sval ham ! ' (cool or refresh Him), so she came to be 

 called the swallow, and is also a bird of blessing. But 

 the last was the weep (peewit), who shrieked, i Pun ham ! 

 pun ham ! ' (pine Him, make Him suffer), and therefore she 

 is accursed for ever down to the last day." 



The lapwing is a handsome bird, with his black head 

 and crest, and green, glossy back, with white under-parts ; 

 and as he turns and twists about in his varied flights, 

 these white feathers show very prominently : 



" The white wing plover wheels 

 Her sounding flight." 



As golden plover is considered a great delicacy for the 

 table, the lapwing is often sold for it. They may be 

 easily distinguished from each other by the feet. The 

 lapwing has a hind toe, while the golden plover is with- 

 out one. 



