34 THE LAPWING 



plumage is of a general green colour, with scarlet on the top of" the 

 head, a black beak, and yellow on the tail coverts. It is far more 

 common than the other woodpeckers, and may often be seen in 

 woods, woodlands, and pleasure grounds, tapping on the bark of 

 trees and even pecking off bark to feed on bark-beetle grubs. It 

 also devours ants and ground insects. 



The LAPWING or PEEWIT (Vanellus cristatus or vulgaris), Fig. 29, 

 belongs to the Grallatores or Waders, and is included in the Pressi- 

 rostral or compressed bills section of the order. The beak, crown 

 of the head, and the tuft are black, the back and wing coverts 

 are also black, tinged with purple and copper colour, the lower 

 part of the breast and belly are white, and the claws are black. 

 The wings are long and the flight powerful, whilst the legs are elon- 



FIG. 29. THE LAPWING OR PEEWIT. 



gated, the toes slender and short and connected at their bases by 

 a web, so that running and wading may be performed with equal 

 facility. The nest is a mere hole or depression in the surface of the 

 ground, either in grass or arable land, with a few bits of dried 

 grass, bents or rushes at the bottom. The eggs are of a dirty olive 

 colour spotted with black, and four are generally found in each nest. 

 The young run about soon after they are hatched, and are carefully 

 tended by the parent birds, who divert any one from the progeny 

 by fluttering around him, even assuming disablement to distract 

 and invite pursuit. 



The lapwings or peewits are gregarious, but dispersing and pair- 

 ing during the breeding season. They frequent marshy ground, 

 meadows and fields, also moorland, and in severe weather the sea- 

 beach. They feed in the evening and devour worms, slugs, wire- 



