46 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



chosen, such as a hollow in the bare ground, or on the 

 summit of a molehill. The footprint of a horse or cow 

 on the bare fallow is a favourite spot ; or on the fields 

 of sprouting corn. The nest is of the simplest, and in 

 many cases is dispensed with altogether. It is merely 

 a hollow lined with a few bits of dry grass, or scraps of 

 broken rush and moss. In this rude shallow nest the 

 female lays her four richly marked eggs. When the 

 breeding grounds of these birds are intruded upon by 

 human visitors, the Lapwings become extremely anxious 

 for the safety of their nests. With noisy wailing cries 

 they dash and whirl about the air, now swooping to the 

 ground, or rising on fluttering wing to hover just over- 

 head. Very often a bird descends to the earth, and 

 reels and tumbles along as if both its wings were broken, 

 trying by this curious artifice to lure the intruder away 

 from the treasured eggs. The birds must be entirely 

 ignored, and the ground searched patiently and closely 

 in all directions, if the nests are to be discovered. From 

 motives of safety the eggs are laid where they resemble 

 the colour of surrounding objects to a wonderful degree, 

 and only the sharpest eyes can distinguish them. In 

 some districts dogs have been taught to search for these 

 eggs, and many children are very expert at finding them. 

 Of course they must be taken as fresh as possible, other- 

 wise their market value is lost ; so that the gatherers 

 generally visit certain grounds at intervals of a few 



