386 THE PLOVERS 



migratory movements are fully described in the " Classified Notes " at 

 the head of this chapter. Like the golden-plover, lapwings are largely 

 influenced in their winter movements by the weather. During severe 

 frost they resort to the sea-coast, and feed at low water on the sands 

 and mud-flats, but while the weather is open they prefer the marshes 

 and cultivated fields. The large flocks are very difficult of approach, 

 being, if anything, more shy than the golden-plover. The lapwing is 

 easy to distinguish on the wing ; it can travel at a great pace, but with 

 regular beats of its broad ample wings, very different to the rapidly 

 driven pointed pinions of its congeners. When lapwings and golden- 

 plovers fly together, the two species keep in separate groups. Flocks 

 formed of groups of these two species may often be seen, and their 

 mingled cries may be heard at night, both being regular night feeders. 

 It has been stated that the lapwing stamps on the ground beside 

 a worm-cast, in order to make the worm come up to the surface ; 

 also that it frequents the haunts of moles for the worms driven to 

 the surface by the burrowing of the moles. 1 Latham quoted by 

 Yarrell says, " I have seen this bird approach a worm-cast, turn it 

 aside, and after walking two or three times about it, by way of giving 

 motion to the ground, the worm come out, and the watchful bird, 

 seizing hold of it, draw it forth." 2 It requires but little experiment 

 to show how slight a disturbance of the ground will suffice to bring 

 worms to the surface, and it is not surprising that lapwings should 

 learn to take advantage of it. It is quite probable that probing birds 

 gain much of their food by reason of this fact not by " stamping," 

 but by driving their bills into the soft earth. 



1 Romanes, Animal Intelligence, pp. 285-6. 2 Yarrell, British Birds, iii. p. 285. 



