518 CHARADRIID^E. 



said, from a tradition, that it was in consequence of the 

 founder of their family having fallen in a skirmish, 

 wounded, and being saved by his followers, who were 

 directed to the spot where he lay by the cries of these 

 birds, and their hovering over him. The notice, however, 

 so frequently given by these birds was sometimes produc- 

 tive of very different consequences. Mr. Chatto, in his 

 agreeable Rambles in Northumberland and the Scottish 

 Border, refers to " the persecution to which the Cove- 

 nanters were exposed in the reign of Charles the Second 

 and his bigoted successor ; " and quoting Dr. Ley den, 

 alludes to the tradition that " they were frequently dis- 

 covered to their pursuers by the flight and screaming of 

 the Lapwing ; in consequence of which the Lapwing is 

 still regarded as an unlucky bird in the south of Scotland." 



In the autumn they collect in flocks, and from that time 

 till the end of winter are excellent birds for the table. 



The Peewit is common and indigenous to Ireland, and 

 is abundant in suitable localities throughout the British 

 Islands to the most remote of the Shetlands. It is found 

 in Denmark ; M. Nilsson says it is plentiful in Sweden 

 and in Scandinavia generally; it goes to the Faroe Islands, 

 and even to Iceland. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, says 

 it is frequent in Russia, and southward over the European 

 continent it is found as far as Spain, Provence, and Italy. 

 It inhabits Egypt: Mr. Strickland found it at Smyrna. 

 The Zoological Society have received specimens from Erze- 

 roum ; and the Russian Naturalists found it on the plains 

 between the Black and the Caspian Seas. It may be traced 

 from thence to Astrachan, and to the vicinity of Lake 

 Baikal. Mr. Blyth has obtained it at Calcutta ; Mr. Selby 

 mentions having seen examples from China which did not 

 differ from our English specimens ; and M. Temminck in- 

 cludes it among his Birds of Japan. 



